The Devil You Know
by keysandhearts
Summary: For Sora, life was simple until he was accepted into Radiant Garden Academy, an all-boy's school miles away from home. For Riku, nothing was simple anymore, not with Sora around. As for Leon, his life would never be the same. RiSo, LeSo, Zemyx, Akuroku.
1. Angels and Demons

**Disclaimer: We don't own Kingdom Hearts cause if we did, heh, there'd be a lot more action going on than just killing Nobodies and Heartless.**

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Dreams were funny things. Sometimes you knew they were real, sometimes you didn't. In them, the impossible became possible, heroic feats were easy, and monsters more than just hid under your bed or in your closet, they came to life, sharp claws, glowing red eyes, and all. So when Sora found himself falling into an ocean of darkness, it didn't surprise him or alarm him in any significant way. Scared him a little, the way someone tapping you on the shoulder from behind when you least expected it could, but it was more startling than anything else, and like most people who spent almost all of their waking hours in the light of day, he wasn't overly fond of the dark.

It wasn't until the speed of his fall began to pick up that his heart started to beat harder in his chest—and shouldn't water be a little denser than air? Shouldn't that kind of speed in an ocean be impossible? But it was a dream, and on some vague level Sora already knew this, so when he found himself shooting to the surface rather than falling, he didn't stress about it. Because it was, after all, only a dream.

He was suddenly standing on the shore and as he faced the horizon he saw a figure there—male, he thought, because no female had that many muscles in their arms. He couldn't see him clearly or distinguish the specifics of features that made up a nose, mouth, and the curve of cheekbones, but he knew that whoever it was had eyes the same color as the sea framed behind him. Sora, being a male, and not at all interested in the different shades that made up colors like cerulean, aqua, or sapphire—distinguished the eyes in his mind as ocean-colored, because green wasn't right, and neither was blue.

But what, or even _who_ the person was didn't matter, because _He _was holding his hand out to Sora, and Sora knew—the way he knew that breathing was essential to keep the body alive, and that laughter was essential to the soul—that it was also essential to reach _Him,_ to take a hold of that hand, and that if he didn't—

So he ran as fast as he possibly could toward _Him__**, **_arm already stretched out in anticipation of the clasp of their hands, but the sand beneath his sneakers was pulling him down, and the figure just stood there watching him, not moving, not reaching—just standing there with his arm outstretched, as if he could wait there, forever frozen until Sora finally took his hand.

Sora.

He heard his name whispered, just his name, and as he looked up he realized that he was now close enough to make out some of _His_ features—a wide chest and broad shoulders and

Sora! This time his name was yelled and Sora looked up, confused because he was close enough now to where _He_ didn't have to yell and

"Sora! For the last time, get up! I'm not going to tell you again!"

And Sora rolled over and groaned into his pillow, because he was awake enough now to see the half-hearted light pouring into his window through barely opened eyes. He knew with certainty that his mother had only so much patience and if he didn't get up _immediately_, she would know, and come in, and complain to him about the state of his room and anything else that was bothering her about her son's lazy upkeep of hearth and home.

"Are you up?" She yelled again, which happened to be to good effect, because Sora bolted up, his sleepy eyes flaring wide as he yelled back.

"Yeah!" And now he was, for better or worse. He glanced longingly down at his pillow, imagined burying his face there once more and forgetting about today—or at least forgetting about the next few hours, so he could indulge in a lazy morning in bed, but as if reading his mind, his mother spoke through the door.

"Don't even think about it."

Sora stifled another groan, as more than likely she would hear him, and instead stood up and scanned his floor for presentable clothing, decisively moving toward the right side of his room because he was certain that he'd thrown something resembling a freshly clean t-shirt there.

As he dressed he tried to put together the puzzle pieces his dream had broken into, but his attention was fractured by the search for clean jeans to complete his ensemble, and then the smell of frying bacon from downstairs, which caused his stomach to growl in reminder that he hadn't eaten since—well, since whenever it was that caused a growing boy to be hungry.

His room really was a disaster, he thought, looking around grimly. Especially after all of the packing he'd done the night before (last minute) that had lead to clothes strewn from one end of the carpet to the other, a mish-mash of books and CDs toppled over on his little bookshelf, walls bare in places but not in others from where he'd pulled posters from the walls—mostly of bands he liked but with a few movie ones thrown in, like _Pirates of the Caribbean_ (because Johnny Depp was awesome, eyeliner notwithstanding) and _The Nightmare Before Christmas._

When he had finally brushed his teeth, washed his face, and pretended to comb his hair (because his chocolate spikes looked the same combed as uncombed and thus there was no point in bothering) he made his way down the stairs, glancing once at his two suitcases which were positioned in lopsided array by the front door.

The house was too quiet. It was the first thought he had as he slid into his seat and piled his plate full with bacon, toast, and scrambled eggs. Roxas, his younger brother, had left for Twilight Town Academy the week before. The thought was depressing, so he did his best to ignore it, scarfing down his food as fast he could possibly shovel it into his mouth.

His mother finally came into the kitchen, glancing at him in that 'are you presentable' way that all mothers had, and swept over to the counter to pour herself some coffee.

"You ready?" she asked, and for a moment Sora contemplated how to answer.

Was he ready to leave Destiny Islands, his mother, his friends, and the long stream of memories that included beach picnics with Kairi and Naminé, long summers, short winters, and his brother beating the crap out of him at Halo? The answer was a wholehearted yes, because he hadn't spent all of his free time on sword-work for nothing, and certainly not to throw away an opportunity like this one.

"You bet," he said through a mouthful of scrambled eggs and toast, and she smiled, lighting up eyes as blue as his own, with the only real difference being the hint of crow's feet at the corners.

"Great." And that was it, because nothing more needed to be said and if they talked about it, or acknowledged the fact that she was now going to be alone—no Sora and Roxas in the living room after she got home from work, playing video games until she told them they needed to get started on their homework—then she might start crying, and neither of them wanted that.

"Let's go."

And that is how Sora Hikari spent his last morning in Destiny Islands.

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Five months ago, Sora had won the Tri-City fencing tournament. Not a big deal, really, because Destiny Islands was small—small in the way that you'd met pretty much everyone at least once, and if you hadn't, then one of your friends knew them—but still, it was a victory. The Kinoa City, Kilika Port, and Destiny High Schools had competed against one another for top honors in fencing for as long as all three schools existed, and that spring was no exception. What _did_ make that particular tournament special was that a freshman boy, barely fifteen and topping out at 5''2, became the unrivaled champion. Unheard of, and practically scandalous, especially when there were so many other more experienced, and let's face it, larger competitors, to which the championship trophy could've gone. But it didn't, and Sora _was_ unrivaled. The closest anyone had gotten to beating him was two hits, and those had barely hit the target area.

None of that was important in the scheme of things and no resentment was held. Because Sora was one of their own, and if there was going to be a champion, let it be a native freshman fifteen year old boy, rather than one of the _haole_ contractors' kids from the mainland.

But all of this was neither here nor there, merely a reference as to why Sora was standing in front of one of the most celebrated and well-known fencing academies in the world.

Radiant Garden was a bigger city than any he had ever been to. He had accompanied Roxas to Twilight Town to see him off, but T-Town was rinky-dink by comparison, composed of mainly suburban houses and one small marketplace. As for Destiny Islands, the biggest city there didn't even rate a mention. Radiant Garden, on the other hand, was a port city, which meant that commerce there was big, and although it had its share of tourists, it wasn't dependent on the trade.

Sora didn't care about any of that, however. Not when he was standing in front of the castle that would shortly be his new home. Radiant Garden Academy was housed inside the castle proper, and was one of the best examples of Reconstruction that existed to date. It was fully renovated, with all of the conveniences that meant modern living, and despite the archaic gray stone and wide springline style windows, it had central heating, electricity, two swimming pools, and most importantly, the largest fencing arena on the continent.

The elevator he'd taken to arrive on the front steps had been interesting, and slow, and rather than move up or down, it had swung on cables horizontally so that he'd seen a wide sweep of the castle as it had moved. He'd managed to ignore the elevator operator, who had been more than a little strange, with a long sweep of gray-striped dark hair pulled back in a tail, and a long scar over one eye partially hidden beneath a black patch. He had stared at Sora the entire time, winking with his one good eye whenever their gazes met (although Sora wasn't entirely sure he'd been winking, because with only one eye he could just as easily been blinking instead).

When Sora finally arrived on the front steps of the castle—long, narrow steps that a less agile person could kill themselves on—he had finally managed over his case of nerves, determined not to let the grandeur intimidate him, or to gape like the back-water Island boy he knew he was.

He was met at the Main Hall by the recruiter he'd spoken with about his transfer, and he did his best not to make the association between vampire and castle, because that was what Vincent Valentine looked like—a vampire. Not in the cheesy Twilight kind of way, all sparkly and ethereal, and unrealistically romantic, but in the fear-for-your-life, find-you-in-the-dead-of-night, drain-you-dry kind of way. He had piercing red eyes—_and who else but a vampire had eyes that color?—_long black hair that fell halfway down his back, and most incriminating of all, he wore scarlet—as in Dracula.

Their conversation was short, which Sora was immensely grateful for, because staring too long at Vincent made the short hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and then he was off to the administration to confirm his enrollment.

A woman at the front desk who bore resemblance to the proverbial grandmother—white hair pinned into a neat bun at the nape of her neck, rosy apple cheeks, and a wide smile—was the first person he talked to. She asked him for his name and then skimmed down a list the size of a small book, handing him one of those old-fashioned keys, ornate, scrolled in bronze, and kind of heavy, before giving him his room assignment.

"You'll need the tour. You're a sophomore transfer student, and we don't get many of those. All of the freshman had orientation a week ago, but we've arranged to have someone show you around."

And for that Sora was grateful, because there was no way in hell he was going to be able to find his way around this copy-of-Hogwarts castle on his own.

"Here is your schedule, and if you have any other questions, please feel free to come see us again," she said, handing him a small piece of paper. "Zexion!" she said loudly to someone behind him, causing Sora to jump-and yeah, so he was still a little nervous.

When he turned around it was to see a boy, maybe a few years older than himself, with hair the color of—well, he didn't know what to call it, except that it was kind of blue, and kind of gray, and there was no way it could possibly be real, although he'd never seen hair dye that color either.

On Destiny Islands, street clothes consisted of shorts and t-shirts, and it was unprecedented for Sora to actually see the kind of outfit this kid wore. Black, Sora thought, was probably his favorite color, because that was all he had on—straight-legged jeans over combat boots, and a faded Slipknot t-shirt—and weren't they supposed to be wearing uniforms? He was sure he'd seen something like that in a brochure somewhere.

Despite the foreignness of it, Sora gave his brightest smile and held out his hand. "Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Sora."

The other boy—Zexion, the woman had called him, just stared at him with the visible eye that wasn't covered by blue-gray hair, then looked down at his hand like it was an alien object. Sora slowly withdrew it, scowling slightly and trying to figure out if maybe handshaking was some kind of faux pas or worse. But then he shrugged and smiled again, hoping that if he did it enough, the boy would show _some_ kind of expression—nope, still nothing.

Instead, with the slightest tilt to his head, he gestured to the door, causing Sora to roll his eyes slightly, and something in Zexion's face changed, although Sora wasn't quick enough to catch what it was exactly. He took two steps toward the door, and finally Zexion followed, and then they were off.

Sora had never seen anything like the castle—and it really was an honest-to-God Castle, with towers, and gray stone, and miles and miles of hallways. There were more steps than he could count, and aside from the fact that the wall sconces held electric lights, rather than the torches he had half-expected to see, he felt as if he had gone back in time half a millennium. There were even—and this he _never_ expected to see—rows of armor, with face plates and chest and leg covers, all done in solid iron, and while Zexion began droning on about the differences between Plate Armor and Full Plate Armor, Sora would interrupt him periodically to ask questions and Zexion would get a slightly confused, then irritated expression on his face for being interrupted.

There was a Chapel that was now being used as a lecture hall, a Great Hall in which all of the assemblies were held, and the largest library he had ever seen, with three stories of rows upon rows of books. There were smoking rooms, drawing rooms, all of which had been converted to class rooms, and finally the State Dining Room, where all of their meals were held.

By the time the first hour had been spent, Sora's head was spinning with facts about the Seven Year Siege, in which some neighboring province had taken offense over the rights to three cows and a milkmaid—and what direction was his math class in again?

By hour two, Sora had had enough, and besides, he was hungry, and if he had to look at one more tapestry—because really, what normal fifteen year old boy (almost sixteen) cares about tapestries?—he was going to set them all on fire with lasers shot from his eyes.

So he came to a halt just as Zexion was taking him down yet another hallway, and finally refused to move another inch. "Okay, I think I get it. Anything to eat around here?"

Again that flash of irritation and then that quick expression that Sora was never quite fast enough to grasp, before Zexion raised an eyebrow at him. "Lunch is over. But I think we can find something for you to snack on."

"Cookies?"

And this time Sora caught the expression, stark and clear. Amusement flashed—like the quickness of a shooting star—through Zexion's eyes, and Sora's eyes lit up in response, because he'd begun to think that maybe the guy in front of him was a robot.

And of course, because it was a relief not to have to deal with a robot as well as vampires, and castles, and maybe even aliens (the elevator operator), he couldn't resist teasing. "Aha! You almost smiled!"

"I didn't." And the indignant look on Zexion's face made it all worth it.

"You did."

"Didn't."

"Oh, yes, you did. Your mouth kind of curled up at the side and your eyes went this weird silver color."

"I made no such expression and if you keep it up, there'll be no cookies for you. No food. Period."

"Are they chocolate chip? I'll only stop if they're chocolate chip."

"You are ridiculous." But this was said with that same flash of amusement, which did, in fact, turn Zexion's eyes a weird sort of silver, before he deliberately made his face blank again. "Let's go."

"Chocolate chip?"

Eye roll from Zexion, a quirk of the mouth, and then finally a sigh. "Yes, Sora. Chocolate chip."

Sora nodded his head, let his mouth curve into a smile, and dropped into step behind Zexion. He figured maybe they were headed for the enormous Dining Hall, but Zexion stopped just before they reached the doors, instead turning a corner that was directed toward a set of swinging metal ones. The kitchens, Sora thought, which made sense if lunch was already over.

Zexion was just in front of him, about to put his hand on the door to push it open, when they both heard what sounded like a whimper, followed by a yell. Zexion and Sora froze then turned to look farther down the hall, now noticing the presence of two other students. The larger one, and from his angle Sora couldn't make out his face, was shoving someone else against a wall. It looked as if he was holding that someone by the front of his t-shirt, or maybe his throat, and judging by the whining noises he was making in his throat, he wasn't enjoying it.

"Listen to me, you little shithead. If I ever fucking catch you anywhere near there again, you're dead. I don't give a shit whether or not—"

Just then he must've caught wind of the fact that the two of them were no longer alone because his words abruptly cut themselves off and he froze for one long instant. Then, like some great cat who'd been deprived of prey, he turned slowly to face Sora and Zexion.

And Sora's breath caught in his throat.

He didn't know why, because up to this point all of his protective urges had gone into overdrive, tension and adrenaline, and the words 'get the fuck off of him!' still on the tip of his tongue, but they died there, unspoken as his gaze clashed for an eternal couple of seconds with eyes the color of the ocean.

Sora had never met him before, he was sure of that much. And because of that, the intense wave of déjà vu left him feeling disoriented and slightly dizzy. He knew with certainty that he'd never seen that broad torso set atop long, long legs clad in jeans, or that thick fall of silver hair that skimmed the base of the larger boy's shoulder blades—but his eyes, now those were familiar. Not quite blue, not quite green, but the same color as the ocean framed behind him—_and where the hell had that thought come from? _

Sora's reverie, which lasted maybe two and a half seconds past the time of the initial clash of eyes, was brought to a halt as the boy with ocean eyes finally spoke. "You have something to say or you just going to stand there mimicking Nemo?"

Sora felt his mouth snap shut, only then realizing that it had fallen open, and he scowled. "Yeah, I do. What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Raised silver brows greeted the question. "And that's business of yours, how?"

Sora's scowl only intensified. "You're the one who chose to do this shit in the middle of a public hallway. If you didn't want someone butting into your business, you should've chosen somewhere private."

A smirk greeted this assertion. "Is that an invitation?"

"You can try."

At the challenge, Sora felt Zexion shift slightly behind him then move to lean forward and whisper in his ear. "Don't do this, Sora. Not with Riku."

_Riku._ So that was his name. Not familiar in the slightest. But those eyes…

Sora wasn't deterred by Zexion's warning. He didn't care who Riku was—he cared that the boy who'd been shoved against the wall, the one who had been making those pitiful noises, was now taking advantage of Riku's distraction in order to slide himself away. He was certain that Riku had noticed this, since it wouldn't have been hard to see if he had any kind of peripheral vision, but evidently Sora had made himself into his new target, and he was fine with letting his former prey escape.

Riku began to walk toward him, and his hips swayed in a swagger that only males with supreme confidence managed to pull off. There was something about the way he kept his weight balanced on the balls of his feet that let Sora know he wasn't just another bully with a superiority complex. Riku had some training, although he didn't know what kind, but he was very certain that he was shortly going to find out.

Sora felt Zexion move behind him, fall away as if he knew there was nothing he could do to stop two hotheads from trying to see whose dick was bigger, and Sora was fine with that. Less chance for distraction and collateral damage.

Riku stepped in front of him—two feet away, then one, then _what the fuck?_—and shoved his body into Sora's, pushing him back against the wall behind him. Damn, he was fast; he'd barely seen him coming, and strong; Sora could feel that in the hand on his chest, iron hold with no give at all. But he had underestimated Sora—not surprising given how small he was; it wouldn't be the first time. He wrenched away, shoving hard against Riku using the wall behind him as leverage, until Riku was forced to back up a few feet in order to keep his balance.

His ocean eyes were wide then as they looked down at Sora, naked surprise on his face. Then those eyes narrowed, calculating, measuring, before his lips quirked up in what might have been amusement but what was probably just a cover for misjudgment. "Well, well, not quite what I expected, are you?"

"I wouldn't know. The ways of the Neanderthal are a mystery to me."

Riku barked out a laugh, only it was more of a chuckle and something about the sound of it caused Sora to shiver. He didn't know why. "You'll learn eventually."

"Learn what?"

Riku didn't respond, just stepped toward Sora again, and he tensed, ready to defend himself, to push Riku away. But Riku merely placed his hand against the wall above Sora's head so that he was half-caged in, and he didn't like that at all, could feel his shoulders tighten and his breathing speed up. He felt trapped, but more than that, frozen by the look in Riku's eyes. Like a predator, who'd found a new and interesting toy, he gazed down at Sora.

He wouldn't let it get to him, couldn't flinch or back down now, even though he was almost tempted to for the first time in his life because those eyes…were familiar, yet not, and there was something hot in them that gave off sparks of heat and light. And he could feel his stomach clench, just once, in response to that look and—

"Headmaster Ansem is coming down the hall," Zexion said in a slightly bored tone.

Sora felt dazed, like he'd just woken up from some weird daydream. He looked toward Zexion, who was standing a few feet away with his back up against the opposite wall, arms crossed, blank expression on his face. And then Riku took one step back, then two, his eyes still locked on Sora. But whatever spell had fallen over him was over and he scowled at him, wary once again.

"We'll have to finish this later. In private, as you suggested," Riku said, smirk on his face, but his voice was hoarse and that hot light was still there, just behind his eyes.

With that, he turned and strode away, not looking back and Sora felt himself slump slightly back against the wall; felt his eyes close as all the tension drained from him.

"You're an idiot."

This comment came from Zexion who, when Sora finally cracked open an eye, was still standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, both eyes now open in curiosity as he stared back at him.

"Riku's not someone you should be messing with."

Sora grimaced. "I wasn't _messing_ with him. What did you expect me to do? Stand there while he made mincemeat out of that kid?"

Zexion tilted his head, staring at him like he was some new species of insect he'd never seen before and he'd really like to get out his microscope and start examining him. "Riku wields a lot of power around here. Pissing him off is not a good way to start your school year."

"Yeah, well, neither is standing back and letting some bully beat the shit out someone right in front of me. Just not who I am." Sora said this with something that resembled a stubborn pout. Zexion stared back at him with narrowed eyes before they finally flashed in evident amusement.

"I don't suppose it matters now. What's done is done. Just do yourself a favor—try to steer clear of him."

"I could've taken him," Sora said, mischievous smirk tilting his mouth crookedly. Zexion shook his head and rolled his eyes but then Sora remembered something. "Hey, where's Headmaster Ansem? Didn't you say he was coming down the hall?"

"Did I say that?' Zexion mused quietly, smirking as he lifted one brow in the supercilious gesture Sora was becoming familiar with. He had to smile back. Smart guy.

Sora suddenly remembered something else and his stomach was more than happy to growl in agreement. "You promised me cookies, remember? Chocolate-chip?"

A roll of the eyes and a huff of breath met his words as they then proceeded to make their way toward the kitchens, Sora still smiling as he followed.

Zexion eventually showed him where he'd be staying—a small single room on the second floor. He'd been confused at first before remembering the little white paper the old lady at the front office had given him with his room assignment on it. He hadn't paid enough attention when Zexion had given the tour. And so, with another roll of his eyes, the older boy had showed him where it was, and now Sora was sprawled on his dorm bed, contemplating the last few hours.

Zexion was surprisingly cool once you broke through that automated, analytical exterior. Oh, he hadn't said much once the whole scene with Riku was over, but still he'd been kind in an understated kind of way, and after leading him to the kitchens, had let Sora stuff himself with as many chocolate-chip cookies as he could handle, and more besides. It was possible they could be friends. Sora didn't really doubt this, mostly because he liked people, and people seemed to sense this, so making friends had never been really hard.

Riku on the other hand…

What the hell had happened? One moment there had been tension in the air, the kind that signaled a rip-roaring, beat-the-shit-out-of-each-other fight, the next—it had been something different—more. Sora wasn't at all certain he was right. He could've imagined it, that spark of heat in Riku's eyes, his own unnerved and slightly trembling response. It wasn't as if he had any frame of reference for that kind of thing, or even knew what that thing _was._

He rolled over, staring at the room that would be his new home. It wasn't much to look at, despite the grandeur of the rest of the castle—a single double-bed with a desk and a chair. The most impressive thing in the room was an antique wardrobe—cherry-wood, he thought it was called, almost black, with intricate scroll work that had probably taken its maker a good amount of time to carve. Inside were five sets of uniforms—white-collared shirts, sports jackets and slacks all in black, except for the crest over the breast pocket with two swords clashed over a heart. The insignia was done in red. He recalled from reading the school's brochure that freshmen wore white; sophomores, red; juniors, blue; and seniors wore yellow.

On further inspection he had found what he believed Zexion called a dressing room next door. It had a love seat and a set of overstuffed chairs around a coffee table. On the other side of the room had been a locked door, which Sora had puzzled over, put his ear to the door to see if he could hear anything, but then had decided it must be some kind of storage closet.

He shivered as he rolled over, realizing for the first time just how drafty a castle could be. The thought made him miss home; miss his cluttered room with knick knacks—baseball glove his father had bought him before he'd been lost at sea, the frayed and slightly tattered quilt his grandmother had made him which he'd refused to get rid of. He missed video games and watching reruns of Scooby-Doo with Roxas on Sunday mornings. He missed shouting at his brother to get out of the bathroom, because he always, always took too long to do his hair, and the weary smile his mother gave him when she finally got home from work.

But there was nothing to be won in contemplation of the past—he was here now, had gained a championship title and achieved a scholarship to go here. After all that, there was no going back. Sora let the thought drift through his mind, closing his eyes, until finally he sank into a thankfully dreamless sleep.

When he woke up it was dark, darker than he had ever seen the sky because there was no starlight to see. In Destiny Islands there were always stars, except for those nights when a storm was on the way. He hated those times, because it always reminded him of the night his father didn't come home, reminded him of his mother pacing in the kitchen, phone glued to her ear as she called anyone and everyone to hear if his father's little fishing boat had made it back to the dock. But Radiant Garden wasn't the Islands, and instead of stars, there were city lights. From the castle window he could see them, distant and hazy, like trapped lightning bugs in a dirty jar.

He sat up and yawned, stretched, rubbed his face and then his hair, then slid his legs off the end of the bed. He was hungry again, his stomach insisting that it needed more than a dozen, nope, make that two dozen cookies, to live on. He figured that the Dining Hall would be closed at—he glanced over to check his alarm—nine-thirty, but maybe the kitchens might be open. And maybe while he was at it he could find a few things to stash in his room for later.

The halls were dark and quiet when he left his room. He knew that most of the students had already settled in but he didn't see any lingering outside their rooms. As he walked he could hear noises from inside each dorm he passed—sounds of laughter, and banging, and the occasional loud music. The sounds made him smile because they were comfortable and safe and, man, the halls were really dark, lit dimly by the wall sconces as they were.

Down two flights of steps covered in red carpet that looked black in the weak light, through the Main Hall, past two gargoyle statues with menacingly grinning faces. Then through two more halls—right, right, and then finally a left, and then there they were—a set of metal double doors.

He pushed them open without a thought, thoroughly confident now that everyone had already gone home for the night because he hadn't heard or seen anyone on his journey.

He was wrong. Sitting at the steel butcher's block was a male—pretty sure he was male given those broad shoulders and long torso—who was currently enjoying his own little raid on the kitchen goodies. Sora stopped just inside the door, not sure whether to move forward or to forget about cookies, and hot pockets, and maybe even left over pizza.

Before he could make the decision, the other boy sensed his presence and swung around to face him.

And that is about the time Sora forgot how to breathe.

The other wasn't really a boy, but was instead at that perfect stage where puberty gives way to manhood. It was all in the eyes. And this boy, no—man—had old ones, like he'd seen things, done things that Sora couldn't even imagine. They were storm-colored, gray and green, with little specks of blue just around the corners of the iris. His face was a study in perfection—straight nose, sculpted cheekbones, full mouth—and why in the hell was he even noticing this? But he couldn't stop, couldn't help but stare. There was a scar that ran diagonally from the corner of one brow down the bridge of his nose to the top of the opposite cheek, and it only made him look that much older, more masculine. Chestnut hair skimming the base of his collar, broad chest, strong shoulders—

Sora still wasn't breathing. The other stared back at him without a word, and there were no sounds, no distractions to break the hold he had on him, and oh, but he wished there were because not breathing was painful. Finally, a million and a half years later, the other turned away to finish eating whatever he had in front of him and Sora inhaled sharply, his heart pounding hard from the lack of oxygen and the curling tension he still felt in the pit of his stomach.

"Hi." The word burst from him, as involuntarily as taking an oxygen starved breath, but worse because his voice cracked on the word. Sora winced. He was positive that he'd sounded like Mickey Mouse on helium, and oh God, he felt like an idiot.

The other ignored him, and Sora tried not to take offense because he _had_ sounded like an idiot, after all. So he marched forward, walking around the butcher's block to face him, hoping that would force some kind of acknowledgement.

He was right, because the older male looked up at him, but now Sora wished he hadn't because now he couldn't breathe again, and he had to consciously remind himself that yes, breathing was good for the body.

The older boy lifted an eyebrow at him, obviously content to sit there and let Sora make a cake out of himself.

"Hi," Sora said again, after much practicing in his head. A dozen things he could say ran through his mind, all so fast that he no time to process any of them, and he couldn't stop at just _hi_ because then he'd really look like an idiot. He opened his mouth, closed it, tried again—

"You're not supposed to be here."

"Huh?" He knew his mouth had flopped open like a fish, but the comment was so unexpected that he couldn't help himself.

"I said," and now he was looking at Sora like he must have a few screws loose, "you're not supposed to be here."

Sora's brow wrinkled as he thought about this, but then he decided that thinking wasn't helping and he should just go with it. "Uh, yeah. I guess." He could feel his face going hot as the older boy stared back at him and he had to swallow before continuing. "But you're not either, right? I mean, you are a student here too, aren't you?"

The older boy shifted on his stool, reaching out to take a sip of the drink he had in front of him before he chose to answer. "I'm a dorm leader. You're not. It's that simple. If it weren't for the fact that school hasn't officially started yet, I might've had to report you."

Sora didn't know what to say to that, was at a complete loss for how to act, and the older male's nonchalance wasn't helping in the slightest.

"You should get back to your room," the other finally said, rising from his seat and tossing the remains of his meal into a nearby receptacle. He didn't look back as he headed for the door, and something that felt a little like panic filled Sora's chest—he had no idea why, because he didn't even know this guy, might never seen him again—and _that_ thought was enough to cause the panic in his chest to tighten even more.

"What's your name?" he finally managed just as the older boy reached the exit. For a moment Sora was sure he was going to ignore the question, push through the double doors without a second thought.

But then he paused, turned to stare back at Sora. Tension—heaviness in the air that felt like a storm was imminent, electric, and tangible, and impossible to ignore—built between them as their gazes locked again. Breathing wasn't even an option. His gaze skimmed over Sora's face, flickered down his body once before he looked up again, and those eyes were hot now, burning, the weight of them solid and real and slightly scary.

"Squall," he said roughly but in a surprisingly hesitant way. He glanced away then back at Sora for one long instant. Then he was gone.

And Sora could finally breathe again.

When Sora finally made it back to his room—through six hallways, past two gargoyle statues, up two flights of stairs—he realized that he'd forgotten to eat anything. He didn't care, because he wasn't hungry any longer. The memory of gray eyes left him feeling full.

* * *

_Haole_ is a term used by Islanders (Polynesians) for white men, often in a derogatory way.


	2. Meetings

**Keysandhearts**

**Disclaimer: Oh yes, we forgot to mention in the last chapter. Neither Keys nor I own Kingdom Hearts or any of its scrumptious characters. If we did, you could bet your sweet tushies that there would be a lot more Yaoi lovin' going on. **

**Author's Notes: Just to clarify, there are going to be multiple pairing in this fic, including Axel/Roxas, Zexion/Demyx and as you guys have probably figured out (and already put in the blurb), Riku/Sora, and Leon/Sora. Sorry, Cloud/Leon fans, not in this fic. We would've put it in the summary but stupid space limit didn't allow for it.**

**Reviewers: Thanks for the great reviews guys! Keep 'em up!**

**Tysonkaiexperiment****: Yes, Keys and I agree, Squall is definitely a yummy combo with Sora (sighs), but we also love Riku, too. Mysterious and massively hot versus dark and masterful, which to pick? Well, we didn't see why we couldn't have both. BTW, love your stories! **

**FreshToDeath****: Yeah, Keys and I have a kink for bullies too, or at least we do when that bully is Riku, and Sora may be innocent now but we're pretty sure that's not going to last much longer (grins evilly). Now as to who's going to get to defile….errr…deflower the virgin… **

**Okay, enough chit-chat. Onto the story! Don't forget to review afterwards and if you guys have questions, feel free to ask!**

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Tidus walked meanderingly toward the auditorium where the mandatory first day assembly would take place. He was running late per usual, but didn't let it worry him. Not much worried Tidus, he was just that kind of guy. Quick to laugh, to anger, hell, Tidus was just plain quick, but in his way he was just as laid back as his best friend Wakka. Tidus however didn't believe in wasting energy best meant for other things, namely, blitzball, by being quick to what he saw as a pointless assembly, stressing rules he and his friends had no intention of obeying unless it served their purpose. Really, these first-day assemblies were meant to make new students and staff feel welcome and appreciated and to instill some of that old Academy school spirit. Tidus didn't really mind these assemblies much (aside from the whole having to get up to actually attend one). Anything that prolonged the time that he'd have to be in class worked for him. Tidus was also was the kind of guy who knew that some sweet would often come with the bitter.

And so, Tidus, though now already five minutes late to the aforementioned assembly, continued to walk slowly to the Great Hall. He was idly twirling his blitzball in his right hand when someone slammed into him from behind but was able to catch himself before he hit the ground. However, the unknown someone wasn't so lucky and ended up sprawled face-first on the pavement.

_Ouch, that had to hurt, _thought Tidus before reaching down to offer assistance to the poor face-planted boy on the pavement. Before his hand could make contact with the other's shoulder however, the figure had rolled over and was glaring at him, blue-violet eyes ablaze and shadowed by long red bangs.

"Watch it!" the boy snapped before jumping up, wincing slightly even as he maintained his glare at Tidus.

Tidus's quick temper flared in response to this injustice but he suppressed it and went over to pick up his blitz ball, which had somehow managed to become wedged behind a nearby statue. He turned back around to the figure, but as his mind worked to form a cool if scathing reply, the unknown student marched off in the direction of the Great Hall. Tidus sighed then shrugged as he followed the student into the Great Hall where the voice of the Headmaster was already droning on about the importance of maintaining school dignity.

Tidus could see that his friends were all sitting in the back pew, the better to goof-off during such occasions, and he was met at the door by the disapproving stare of one of his teachers as he made his way toward them. He plopped down next to Wakka, who, knowing Tidus's tendency to be late for such occasions, had saved him a seat. Wakka glanced over at him and shook his head but a smile played around his mouth.

"The day you're on time to one of these things is the day I quit blitzball for good, ya?" whispered Wakka teasingly.

"See, now you've just confirmed all my future behavior. How can I ever be on time to one of these things now if it means you'll quit playin'. It's obviously in the interest of civic duty and school pride to make sure I never attend an assembly on time," whispered Tidus back. "Don't want all your fans coming after me, ya?" mocked Tidus.

Wakka just shook his head again, laying his head back against the pew and closing his eyes. Seifer grinned at Tidus from the other side of Wakka and nodded his head at him and Leon ignored all of their antics in favor of staring at something on the right side of the room. Tidus was just about to lean over both Wakka and Seifer to poke at Leon and ask him what was so interesting when it occurred to him that they were missing someone.

"Where's Riku?" asked Tidus.

Wakka rolled his eyes at the question and leaned over to whisper, "He has to make his first-day-of-school speech. Have to have the school's poster-boy put in an appearance and say a few words just to inspire all the little kiddies, ya?"

Tidus snorted in response. Riku was definitely poster-boy material. Rich, successful, handsome, and talented, the kid was custom-made to stand as the school's chosen representative. Add all of this to his lineage and family connections and Riku was damn-near unstoppable. He looked toward the front of the room where pew upon pew was filled with students anxious to begin another semester.

His eye caught on Riku who was sitting on the stage in front of the room. Riku was staring at something, or someone, on the right side of the hall. He followed Riku's gaze, trying to see what had him so interested, and his eyes were drawn to an aisle toward the front where a brown-haired, spiky-headed boy sat. Tidus couldn't tell from the angle at which he sat, but he thought that the student must be new.

_He must be a First Year, he's so small. What could have Riku so interested?_

As if sensing his gaze, the brunette turned his head toward Tidus and he felt his heart stop for an instant as his gaze locked with the unknown boy's.

_Wow, those eyes of his are really something. But Riku's not interested in him like that, is he?_

As far as Tidus knew, his friend Riku had always been a lady-killer extraordinaire. On their frequent visits into the city (rules or no rules), Riku always managed to draw the attention of what felt like every female in a ten-mile radius. All Riku had to do was work his beautiful face into that "like-what-you-see" smirk and you could feel the heat radiating from the bodies of the opposite sex (and, more often than not, members of the same as well).

Riku did not lack for opportunities, nor was he one to waste them. He couldn't count the number of times he and his friends had had to wait while Riku had finished fucking one of the seemingly endless number of willing females in a nearby car, a backroom or bathroom, hell, he was pretty sure a wall would do as well. Riku didn't have many inhibitions when it came to sex. All of that aside, Riku had never been interested in a boy before. There had been plenty who had tried, but Riku was always quick to put an end to the aspirations of males who had tried to catch his attention.

_That can't be it. I wonder if the boy ticked him off or something. That has to be it._

He was about to turn to look back at Riku when he noticed the brunette's gaze land on Leon. The boy's electric blue eyes widened and even from this distance, Tidus could see the red flush pouring into the other boy's cheeks. What intrigued Tidus wasn't the boy's reaction to Leon (which he had seen occur before, _because Leon was just sooooo fucking hot_, Tidus thought mockingly), but Leon's reaction to the now-staring brunette. Leon was returning the boy's stare with an intensity that caused Tidus's short hairs on the nape of his neck to stand on end. The stare seemed to last an eternity and Tidus could almost feel the tension building and burning between the two before the stare was abruptly broken as Riku came to the podium to give his speech and the brunette snapped toward the front.

_Man, Leon was looking back at that kid like he was the last sea-salt ice cream bar on a hot summer's day in Agrabah. What the fuck?_

The students and faculty began to clap as Riku stepped forward; whispers began to run through the hall and the name "Sephiroth" could be heard muttered under the breaths of the students. Tidus, still observing the blue-eyed boy, noticed his confusion as the whispered word reached the boy's ears.

_Ah, so he doesn't know Riku's connection to Sephiroth. No surprise there, he __**is**__ new. Well, he'll find out soon enough. Still, what the hell is going on with this kid? First Riku and now Leon? Yeah_, _he's pretty and has great eyes, but what's so special about that?_

_

* * *

_

"Why didn't you tell me that Riku practically ran the whole school?" Sora said to Zexion as they made their way out of the Grand Hall. Sora had managed to find the quiet older boy despite the size of the hall and the crowd pouring into the hallway leading out to the courtyard.

"Would it have made any difference if I _had_ told you that he was the Student Dean? Would you have done anything differently yesterday?" Zexion asked, looking at him with narrowed and expectant eyes.

Sora reflected on this as he and Zexion crossed the corridor that would lead to his first class. He had noticed the aqua-eyed boy almost immediately upon entering the hall, seated on the stage looking down at the other students entering like a king observing subjects. Although Sora was brave he wasn't foolish and he had not wanted to draw attention to himself his first day of classes at a new school. He had therefore ducked his head as he made his way to a seat while wondering why the silver-haired boy was favored with such a position for the assembly. Sora had eyed the boy from under his eyelashes and had noted that the insignia on the other boy's right breast pocket was silver, not any of the other colors now known to him, and that he likewise had a silver band wrapped around his right arm that matched the insignia. Zexion's insignia, he now noticed, was blue. _Third year, then. Makes sense. He seems older than me._

"No, I suppose it wouldn't have. Like I said before, I can't stand bullies. I don't care who they are," Sora stated firmly.

Zexion gave him what he thought might be an approving if slightly disbelieving look before he said, "Riku rules here. It's as simple as that. He's not only the Student Dean, a position he received in his Third Year which is practically unheard of; he's also the top fencer in this academy and can hold his own against most of the top fencers in the world. Of course, with his background, it's to be expected."

"What background?" Sora asked.

Zexion rolled his eyes and was about to reply when Sora felt someone come up from behind him and tap him lightly on the shoulder. He turned around and met the green eyes of the taller and slightly lanky figure he remembered rescuing the day before. _Huh, he looked smaller yesterday. Must've been the way he was huddled against that wall._

"Hey," Sora said.

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you for yesterday. My name's Demyx by the way. What you did was really brave. Kinda stupid, but brave. I owe you one, man," Demyx said as he grinned and took a swig of the water bottle he had in his hand.

Sora couldn't help but meet the infectious grin with one of his own. Demyx then turned and blushed when he spotted Zexion standing beside Sora.

"H-Hey," he said hesitantly to him.

Zexion gave a short nod in acknowledgement but his features remained impassive. Demyx spoke again, rambling, "I've seen you around before. You were in my art class last year. I really sucked in that class but the teacher was cool. I'm glad I'm not taking art again this semester but I remember you were really good. Like that mural you did right before the festival and…"

Demyx, obviously realizing he'd been babbling, began to blush an even deeper shade of crimson. To distract from his blunder he awkwardly brought his water bottle to his lips, taking a rather large gulp that caused his cheeks to puff and thin rivulets of water to dribble slowly out of his mouth, before suddenly swallowing.

Too quickly apparently because then he was choking and hacking as he spewed the guzzled water everywhere and then with a flailing arm he dropped his water bottle, causing water to fly in different directions and a massive puddle to form. In fact, he hacked so much that tears were beginning to stream down his face and the sound of the coughs echoed throughout the hall, drawing a few curious glances.

Zexion, a slightly worried and almost pitying expression on his face, began to pat Demyx's back, cooing softly. Sora, never having seen Zexion with such an unguarded and soft expression, much less producing such sweet sounds of comfort, just stared in silence at the two of them.

As the coughing of the boy slowly died, Zexion tried to compose himself to his regular bland expression and questioned in a stern yet gentle voice, "All better now?"

Demyx, now over his coughing fit, looked up at Zexion with a horrified expression on his face. He slowly turned a bright shade of cherry-red and opened his mouth to reply but abruptly stopped then shook his head before chuckling awkwardly.

"Yeah, sorry bout' that. Uh, so, yeah, everything's fine now. Just drank too fast is all. You know how that is," he said as he let out another self-conscious chuckle and moved to pick up the now-empty bottle. "Well, um, thanks. I'd better get to class."

With another hesitant smile at Zexion and a short wave at Sora he backed away saying, "Later." He sort of dance-stepping away and turned around quickly, looking like he really wanted to sprint toward the direction of his class. Unfortunately before he could make his great escape, he slipped on the puddle of water still remaining on the floor.

"Gah!" The exclamation was accompanied by a stumble, then a definite crash that resounded through the hall as he tumbled onto the floor, getting not just a little wet in the process from the previously spewed, poured, and hacked out water.

Thankfully, there weren't _too_ many people lingering behind but still there were enough students left in the hall to wring a mortified glance from Demyx, who was now practically hanging his head in shame as laughter from nearby onlookers reached his ears. As if that weren't bad enough, the boy now had a water stain on the front of his pants that looked uncomfortably like a pee stain and Sora didn't like to think how soggy and uncomfortable that must be.

"I've gotta go to the bathroom," Demyx said as he realized the state he was in and then he muttered, "I hate water," before heading off in the direction of the bathroom.

Sora's eyes were glued to the place Demyx had just been, mouth having unconsciously fallen open in surprise of the spectacle he'd just witnessed.

"Hope he's not hurt. Well…physically, at least." _Don't know about the mental state,_ Sora thought, eyes filling with sympathy. He couldn't imagine how embarrassed and humiliated he might be if that had happened to him. Although, it was weird, because he couldn't really think of the boy as awkward or clumsy. When Demyx had approached him before, he'd had a certain grace to him. _I wonder…hmm._

Sora, shaking the thoughts from his head, turned to Zexion.

"Well, I'd better get to class, too. I guess I'll see you around, Zexion."

The other boy, with shadowed eyes, nodded and turned away, heading deeper into the hallway and disappearing around the corner.

Sora sighed and made his way to his first class. Zexion seemed more down than he usually was (which he couldn't really blame him for, if what he suspected was true), but then again, he hadn't known him for very long.

Sora suddenly recalled that he and Zexion had been having a conversation prior to the meeting of the animated Demyx and realized that he had never gotten an answer to his question about Riku. _What background?_

_

* * *

_

Sora made it through his first three classes without incident but grimaced at the thought of the geometry homework. _Gah, I hate math!_ He thought as he stepped out into the courtyard, planning to find a nice shady spot somewhere to eat the ready-made sandwich and chips he had nabbed from the dining hall.

Most of the student body had seemed to be crammed into the place, and although normally Sora was very social, today for some reason he felt the need to be alone with his thoughts.

_That wouldn't have something to do with the handsome, gray-eyed senior you locked eyes with in the Hall this morning, now would it? _The thought drifted across his mind before he could check it as he sat down under a tree across from the blushed at the thought but couldn't deny it, even to himself. He had been tempted to ask Zexion about Squall but had stopped himself, realizing he would have to explain how he knew him, or at the very least, explain why he was curious about him. He didn't know what it was about Squall, but something about him made Sora's whole body feel like it was on fire.

As if he had conjured him from his thoughts, Sora looked up and saw Squall headed in his direction accompanied by four others. He didn't immediately register the older boy's companions, having solely focused on Squall, who was walking slightly off to the left of them. His uniform was perfectly ironed and crisp and the yellow insignia over his right breast pocket marked him as a Fourth Year. In addition to this, a yellow band was wrapped around his right arm. _Dorm leader—so that's what he was talking about last night. _ Everything about him was perfect, from his graceful walk to his complexion and even the scar that sat diagonally across his face only managed to increase his overall sex appeal. Sora sat up straighter in anticipation and it was only then that he noticed Squall's companions.

Sora's heart sank as he saw Riku, walking at the center and slightly in front of the group, having already spotted Sora as he sauntered toward him.

_There he is, _thought Riku, his eyes alight with anticipation as they locked on the younger boy. _Why do I feel like I've been waiting all day for this moment? _

Sora decided immediately that he did not want to face Riku sitting down and so instantly shot up from his place under the tree. He ended up standing with his chin up while his body took an automatically defensive stance.

The older boy, having taken note of this, smirked, the expression one that Sora was becoming all too familiar with and was already pretty damn sure he hated.

"Hello again, kitten," Riku said, his voice strangely seductive.

Riku had stopped a foot from Sora which was too close for his comfort, and he was trying to fight the urge to step back. He once again found himself locking gazes with Riku, and again that sense of disorientation occurred. In spite of this, he refused to look away from the larger boy and Riku's smirk widened.

"I told you I'd find you again. Not that you could hide," Riku said as he took another half-step towards Sora.

"As if I'd try!" Sora shot back at him, struggling to hold his ground.

"Who _is_ this?" said one of Riku's friends. Sora took a moment to examine the new threat, noting golden blond hair and a diagonal scar similar to Squall's running diagonally down his face. He was about to answer for himself but Riku managed to interject first.

"Sora Hikari," he stated, still not looking away from Sora.

"How did you know?" demanded Sora.

Riku actually smiled at the question before he chuckled loudly and stepped closer to Sora. He then brought his arm up over the small brunet's head to rest the palm of his hand flat against the tree, trapping him against it. Sora tried to move out from under his arm, but Riku moved in even closer, causing him to involuntarily back up.

"What, you didn't learn anything from this morning's assembly? I _own_ this school and you my kitten, now being one of its many students, are mine now, too," he said as he leaned down towards Sora.

This was too much for the younger boy who was beginning to lose his temper at Riku's condescending tone and proximity. "First of all, I don't belong to anyone, least of all to an arrogant spoiled brat like you. Second, since you seem to know my name now, why don't you try using it?"

"Because you remind me of a kitten, all hissing and adorable," said Riku, still not moving away from Sora. In fact, he seemed to be slowly moving closer so that he was now practically chest-to-chest with him.

"I don't know about you guys, but as entertaining as this has been, I'm hungry and would like to actually eat before the lunch period is over," a familiar husky voice said from behind Riku. It was only then that Sora remembered Squall's presence. He felt himself turning red, self-conscious that the senior had seen him practically pressed full-up against Riku. _Why do I always seem to say or do something embarrassing in front of him?_

"Yeah, Leon, I know why you're so anxious to go eat lunch all-of-a-sudden," said a sarcastic voice, this time from another blond-haired boy who was twirling a blitz ball on his right index finger.

_Leon? But he said his name was Squall. Did he lie to me? _

"Shut up, Tidus." Squall said, not even bothering to look in the boy's direction. He glanced once at Riku but then apparently decided that enough was enough and began walking back toward the dining hall with two of the boys choosing to follow him. The scarred blond who had spoken earlier maintained his place behind Riku, asking, "Well, are we going to go eat or not, or are you planning on fucking this kid up against the tree?"

Riku sighed. "Seifer, go with Leon and the others. I'll be there in a minute."

Seifer shot a glare at Sora before marching off. Riku turned back to Sora, meeting his eyes and placing his other hand above him, caging him in further. He glared up at him, now really tired of the boy in front of him and filled with an unknown fear now that he was alone with him.

"I'm not going to jump you," said Riku with a smirk. "Well, not yet." He lifted his hand, running his fingers in one smooth motion through Sora's hair and the sensation was so foreign and unwelcome to Sora that he jerked back hard against the tree trunk behind him, causing Riku to laugh. "I'll see you later, kitten. Miss me while I'm gone." He then turned and sauntered off in the direction the others had gone.

Sora stood frozen for a minute before collapsing to his knees and taking a deep breath. _What the hell is the matter with that kid? He has to have a screw loose somewhere. _He realized he was no longer hungry, and thought grimly to himself that if the events of the past two days continued the way they were through the next few months that he would be a scarecrow by the time the holidays rolled around.

* * *

_Damn him,_ Riku thought as he sat in his last class. He'd been thinking about Sora nonstop, and it was getting old fast. He had been off the entire day, had been day-dreaming of all things, which he never did. Of course, it didn't help that when he looked at the sky, or the blue carpeting on the floor (or even the blue bag of ranch Doritos that some student was eating out of their book bag while they tried unsuccessfully to remain inconspicuous), that he was once again reminded of the blue-eyed boy. _How come everything's blue today?_

Who did he think he was? Sora was obviously trying to worm his way into his heart, with his perfect eyes, small-boned features, and come-get-me-if-you-can attitude. He had seen the way the little kitten had looked at him that morning in the auditorium, hot eyes full of want and need, a rosy blush staining his cheeks, suck-me lips slightly parted in invitation.

Riku had never experienced such a look of intense desire and longing. It was as if the boy not only wanted his body, but his heart and soul as well. The thought oddly excited him.

It was different from the first look Sora had given him during their first encounter. That look had been filled with, surprise, awe, and maybe even recognition? At that moment the pieces of the puzzle seemed to fall into place.

Maybe Sora had known of _him_, and had developed some sort of infatuation. _Hmmm, _the idea made him feel slightly lightheaded, and would definitely explain why the younger boy had been running hot and cold, acting defensive one moment, and then giving him hot looks the next.

_And I'm falling for it. Damn him. _

Yes, it was obvious that Sora was well-versed in the art of seduction. He was playing the typical hard to-get, innocent virgin while really calculating skillfully the eventual moment of weakness before pouncing. _Just like a kitten._

He'd been trying to fend the boy off too, had been attempting to take control by using his own refined sexuality. He was used to bringing others to their knees. It had never been, well, _difficult._ If he had backed anybody else into that tree they would have been quaking with both fear and desire. He took pride in his ability to manipulate and control others.

Sora, though, had somehow remained unaffected by his efforts and it was… _really hot?_

What did that mean? Was he turning into some sort of masochist?

He'd been raised on control, had taken it in daily doses since the day he was born. If he lost his control, his power, he'd be losing the only good and steady thing he'd ever known. He found the idea unsettling and slightly repulsive.

The facts were that Sora wanted him, and _he_ wanted to force the boy into submission and make him kneel before him, begging Riku to be allowed to serve him.

Their desires seemed to coincide with one another, so why wait? Although it would be fun to play with the mischievous kitten a bit longer. Maybe he _should _play, because things had been far too boring and lackluster for far too long. Everything was too easily attained. He _needed_ something to occupy his time; something new and fresh that wouldn't be broken too easily. He needed a _challenge._ The boy seemed up for it, had started the whole thing anyway, and he was never one to back down from a challenge.

Feeling slightly better, he tried to think of something to distract himself from thoughts of Sora. He felt the need to take out his frustration on someone and then he noticed that the boy still munching Doritos was the same one he'd been bullying the day he'd met Sora. The possible distraction caused his smirk to widen.

Sora was trying very hard not to reflect on the events of the day. First, this morning, caught staring at Squall (Leon...whatever) with a desire he'd just known had been etched all over his face for the older boy to see. Then there was that slightly embarrassing encounter with Demyx and the whole explosion of water, the horrible meeting with that pompous, arrogant, perverted bully, Riku, and the humiliating position he had found himself in, trapped against a tree and Riku's body while Squall looked on. And then finally (what felt like the worst one of all), he hadn't gotten to eat his lunch.

Sora _wasn't_ one to whine or complain (except when he was hungry or waking up in the morning or when he had too much homework…), usually taking _most_ problems in stride, letting them slide right off of his shoulders, but other than the fact he was in good health, he couldn't find anything really great about his day. It seemed the weather was agreeing with him as well, because even that was starting to look gloomy.

Well, at least it _was_ only the first day of school, and maybe things would get better. No, they _would_ get better. His mother, Kairi, Roxas, and all of Destiny Islands, they were all counting on him, believing in him. No, he wasn't alone. The fact that he had made it to the prestigious academy should have been reason enough for him to be happy. How many people like him, with no family lineage or money to speak of, got to partake of such an opportunity? Not many, so he'd just have to tough it out and even if things didn't get better, that didn't matter, because he had things he needed to protect. He'd be the best because that's what he was known for.

Sora, feeling better now that he had given himself a nice pep talk, made his way down a corridor to the computer lab on the third floor. He planned to check his email to see if Roxas had anything to say about his own school experience.

_I really wish he was here. I would've loved to have seen Riku's face after Roxas had gotten through with him. _His brother was extremely protective and could be somewhat volatile to boot. _On second thought, maybe it's good that he's not here. The last thing I need is to make the situation worse._

Sora, with a slight smile on his face at the thought of what Roxas would do to Riku if he ever met him, walked into the computer lab, sitting down at a computer on the farthest side of the room. The room was practically empty and Sora was pretty sure it was because most of the kids at the Academy already had computers of their own back in their dorms. Sora's mother had only been able to afford one, and since Roxas used it more often than he did, they had both agreed that he should be the one to take it with him to Twilight Town.

Sora logged onto his email account and pulled up his new mail folder. He found that there was indeed an email from Roxas, having been written the previous night according to the time stamp.

Hey Sor,

I just wanted to check and see how you were doing. Things here are great! I made some new friends, three of them to be exact, Olette, Pence, and Hayner. Hayner's really cool, I know you'd like him and I think we're going to be good friends. Classes suck, but the weather here's great and I can skateboard practically around the whole town. I'm going out to the beach this weekend with the guys but I still miss you. Let me know how your first day of school went, kay? Love ya, Roxas

Sora knew it should make him feel good that his brother was having such a great time, and he _was_ happy for him, but he also didn't want to have to tell him that his own first day had been such a disaster. He didn't want to ruin his brother's obvious good time, and certainly didn't want to concern him. Sora was used to being self-reliant and solving his own problems. He didn't want to admit to having _issues._ He could take care of it all by himself.

Hey Rox,

My first day was great! I met a lot of interesting new people and can't wait for fencing to start. Classes seem like they're going to be okay but I'm already feeling nervous about math. Lucky you, getting to go to the beach, though. Let me know how it goes. Love ya back, Sora

Sora logged off with a sigh and stared at the now dark screen. He absently wondered why he hadn't gotten an email from Kairi but just shrugged his shoulders. If Roxas was here, he'd tell him to get off his ass and show this group of elite bastards what he was made of. _Yes, he would just have to show them, wouldn't he? _Sora smiled slightly at the thought, chuckling inwardly.

He glanced at the clock in the corner and realized how late it was. The dining hall closed at 8:30 and it was now ten minutes to nine. Sora thought about it, and decided it was worth the risk of breaking a teeny-tiny school rule to get some food. After all, they wouldn't want him to starve, right? In the back of his mind was the hope that he might run into a certain dorm leader whose name he wasn't quite certain of.

_Punishment from him might not be that bad,_ he thought with a blush.

Sora made his way down to the first floor, occasionally passing by students huddled in groups in the halls or on their way back to their rooms for the evening, though technically lights out weren't till ten.

He made his way to the corridor leading to the kitchen and stopped in anticipation in front of the set of gray double-doors. He took a breath and pushed open the door only to find the kitchen dark and completely empty. Sora let out a relieved (disappointed) sigh and flipped on the lights beside the door before proceeding over to the large metal refrigerator. _Ooooooh, cupcakes, and are those chocolate brownies? _Ten minutes later he was sitting at the metal table Squall had been seated at the night before, after he had managed to rummage up some obviously very nutritious food and was sitting munching on his prize, when he heard the door swing open behind him.

Sora froze mid-chew, both afraid and excited about whom he was certain he would see. Oh so slowly, Sora turned his head, trying to swallow his food as he did, so that he didn't look like a chipmunk while trying to brush off any remaining chocolate crumbs from his mouth.

Squall stood there, arms folded across his broad chest and an eyebrow rose as he eyed Sora. "Looks to me as if you can't follow school rules, even one day into the semester," he said sarcastically, as he proceeded further into the room.

Sora, having finally swallowed his food (thankfully without choking), gave Squall a little smile and looked at him from under his lashes before saying, "I can follow the rules…sometimes…when it suits me."

Squall just stared at him for a moment before appearing to gather himself, turning to a kettle on the nearby stove. _God, those eyes of his…oh, fuck and his smile, I feel like I'm falling off a cliff, _Squall thought as he filled the kettle with water, turned on the gas, and then finally turned back to Sora.

"You know, I _am_ a dorm leader and I _did_ warn you that I would report you if I caught you here again," Squall stated flatly. _Don't pretend to yourself that you didn't know he'd be here. Did you really need tea from the kitchen when you have a portable tea-maker in your room? _He silently accused himself. _Shut up,_ he told the voice.

"Actually, you didn't say that at all. What you said was that I was lucky you didn't report me, not that you would. You _also _told me that your name was Squall, not Leon, so which is it?" Sora said as he tilted his head to the side, giving Squall an innocently playful look.

"Leon," he said with a still completely flat tone.

"So you lied to me then?" asked Sora, slumping dramatically and knowing that he had no right to feel hurt, but feeling it nevertheless. Leon hesitated, appearing vulnerable for only an instant before his face changed back to its usual expressionless mask, said, "No. My full name is Squall Leonhart, but I go by Leon."

"Then why did you tell me that your name is Squall?" asked Sora, now thoroughly confused.

"Because….I don't know. I don't know why I told you my first name. I haven't been called that since…," and Leon's voice trailed off.

Sora just sat there, somehow unwilling to break the silence. This turned out to be a mistake as that mysterious and yet wondrous tension began to build between them and Sora once again found his blue eyes locked to gray. He suddenly wanted to scream, to wave his arms around, to run around the room until he was gasping for air, anything to relieve the tension. Instead he just sat there, lost to the power of the stormy eyes, unable to move, to think, to breathe. The air felt heavy and thick, and he could feel his heartbeat and blood flow through his body. His breath began to come in pants and Oh God, all of this was just from _looking_ at Squall. _What would happen if I actually touched him, if he touched me? Please_, he wanted to say, "Please," Sora whispered unthinkingly saying it out loud.

Squall stood stiffly, as if he would shatter if he moved. "Please what?" Squall whispered intensely back, and slowly broke the stare to peruse Sora's body. He could feel Squall's eyes like a touch, a brush against his skin, a stroking of his over-sensitized nerve endings.

"Please…I...," Sora's entreaty was broken by the sound of the kettle whistling. Squall turned abruptly away, and moved toward the stove, keeping his back turned to Sora. Sora, for his part, was left feeling dazed and slightly confused as he perceived Squall's mental as well as physical withdrawal. To distract himself Sora said, "Does it really bother you, my being here?" and somehow they both knew what he meant, and it had nothing to do with rule-breaking.

"Do whatever you want," Squall replied huskily.

"Does this mean you're not going to report me," Sora asked, smiling impishly. Squall turned back to look at Sora before replying with, "I haven't made up my mind, yet."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to take my chances then, won't I?" smirked Sora playfully. Squall unwillingly returned his smile before saying, "I guess so." Squall's smile slowly faded and he bent down to collect the cup of tea he had poured, sliding into a seat across from Sora at the table. He bent his head down to the cup to blow on it, his mouth forming the perfect bow of a kiss, and Sora shivered as he imagined those lips trailing down his neck, down to his chest and stomach-

"So I assume you must've met Riku before today?" asked Squall, taking a sip from his cup.

The last thing Sora wanted to talk about was Riku but he replied anyway, "Uh, yeah. I met Riku yesterday when I came across him bullying a kid in the hallway. He had him shoved against a wall and Demyx was…really scared," Sora said.

"Demyx, huh. Sounds like you know him."

"No. Or I didn't at the time. I just met him officially today and he seems really nice, Riku on the other hand…Why are you friends with someone like him?" Squall lifted a brow at that but didn't answer the question and simply took another sip from his cup. Instead he said, "You should stay away from Riku. He seems to have it in for you. Or have a thing _for_ you, whichever."

"See, people keep telling _me_ to stay away from _him_ but he's the one bothering me, not the other way around. I stood up for a kid he was about to kick the crap out of and now I seem to be at the top of some kind of list in Riku's deranged mind. As for him having a thing for me….God, I hope not," Sora said, shuddering slightly at the thought as he said it.

"Why not? Most people seem to think Riku's pretty hot," Squall asked, somewhat tauntingly feeling slightly appeased at Sora's response.

"Oh, I can admit that he's good-looking, but he's just so…so…not what I want," Sora said, trailing off lamely, not wanting to offend Squall by telling him that he found his friend to be quite..._ick._

"And what _do_ you want?" said Squall, and even as he was asking it, knew that it was a loaded question.

_You_, Sora thought. _God, I want __**you**__. _

This time he managed not to say what he was thinking out loud and blushing, just stammered, "I-I don't know," but if the look on Squall's face was any indication, Sora hadn't fooled him and Squall had gleaned the unspoken words from the boy's widened blue orbs. _Those eyes._

Squall just looked at him silently before saying, "Well, if you don't want what Riku has to offer, and let me say right now that regardless of _how_ they are meant, whether he wants to kick your ass or fu—," he broke off, closing his eyes before continuing, "or whatever, his intentions are not pure, and you need to do your best to avoid him."

"Duh," Sora said, rolling his eyes, "I think I've managed to figure that one out myself." Sora just grinned puckishly.

_That smile, it had to stop. _"How am I supposed to know what you're capable of figuring out, especially when it's obvious you can't even understand a few school rules," Squall asked, teasingly. Sora's heart leapt at Squall's tone, but he pretended to pout at Squall's words before breaking into a coy smile and Squall smiled back. Sora felt like he had won the best prize at a fair.

"You'd better go. Lights are supposed to go out in less than half an hour," Squall said, wondering which one he liked better, the smile or the pout._ I'll have to think about it later…wait, no._ _Damnit. _ Sora rose reluctantly to his feet, cleaning up his uneaten food before heading to the door. He turned back as he reached it, looking back over his shoulder at Squall from under his thick lashes and the electric-blue of his eyes seemed to pierce right through him.

_Don't give me that look… it makes me want to…_

"Thanks," Sora said, smiling brilliantly. _Definitely the smile, _Squall thought as he shrugged and shook his head, unable to take his eyes away from Sora's and feeling as if he was lost in a dream, but even so, he still managed to get out, "Go."

Sora went.

* * *

_Sora, I want to be the one to stand beside you. _

The girl stood in the middle of what was now she and Sora's joint suite, although it would come as a definite surprise to Sora to find that she had followed him here all the way from Destiny Islands.

She chuckled as she thought of the look on his face when he discovered she had followed him here. She couldn't imagine however that he would be surprised for long. Maybe just a slight widening of those beautiful, blue-hued, long-lashed eyes set with angelic features, a slight puckering of his full, pouty lips along with a slight reddening to those gold-kissed cheeks.

Sora knew her antics all too well. He wouldn't be too surprised, right? Cutting her hair and binding her breasts to venture into an all-boys school was one of her more daring schemes she had to admit, but, well, what did he expect anyway?

He just off and got himself accepted to some elite academy and had decided to trek all the way to Radiant Garden Academy, without any real notice to his best friend, first and foremost, and expected her to smile and wave him off merrily, with an "oh, by the way can you take care of my mom?"

_Well, I don't think so, _the girl thought as she silently fumed.

"I'm not going to be left behind." the girl said out loud to herself, a slight reminder that she was completely justified in her feelings as she finished unloading the rest of her stuff into the bureau. She had been too tired last night to unpack which had led to her being late to the assembly that morning.

As she slammed the last drawer closed she thought about the fact that Sora would have nothing to be distressed about. She had left his mother in the caring hands of her cousin Namine. Anything that could have been a slight adherence to her and her plans to join Sora had swiftly and adroitly been taken care of. In fact, she had even ruthlessly gone so far as to use her fathers' guilt for being an errant, unloving father who had abandoned her and her mother for another woman, against him.

With tear-laden words she had declared that if ever there was one thing he could do to make reparations for the trauma she might have experienced on his behalf, then using his money and influence to get her into the Academy was a good start. _Start_ being the operative word, because she might need to use more guilt later during the course of the semester, and as she had discovered, guilt was always a first-rate tool in _insinuating_ your points of views onto others.

And most especially when it came to Sora. If ever she sensed he needed something, then it would be his.

"Sora," she said, almost as if invoking the name. The adorably beautiful boy made her heart tremble with unrequited longing, with his long thick eyelashes, electric-blue eyes, soft full lips, and golden-brown spikes which gave a masculine flare to his angelically girlish beauty. Her friend would completely understand her situation and, with enough guilt-laced words wrapped in honey, she had faith that she would be able to fully convince him, if he was so inclined to need such saccharine persuasion, that she was more than justified, and that it was not only her place, but her right to stand here beside him.

The boy had no idea, no inclination, as to the effect he had on those around him, their admiration, their respect, their desire for him. She had seen it in others, both male and female, and was now having a taste of it herself. She was addicted to that _feeling._ Of being completely submerged and immersed in the light and warmth of his being.

His strength, boundless amounts of it, never judging, always understanding of others' own limitations and willing to accept any failings, even taking them upon himself when needs be. His hands always outstretched, she had soon understood after meeting the beautiful boy that his light was not only hers, but like his name, encased everyone around him. His light willed them to be stronger, instilling in them a strength that only grew from slowly dying embers to bright glowing and rampant flames.

When she had first met Sora, having just moved from Radiant Garden to live with her mom on Destiny Islands after what had been a very messy divorce, she had been having a rough time to say the least. Being the new girl on the island hadn't been easy. Certainly not, considering she'd had to leave everything she'd ever known behind, a place with which she had grown so familiar, with its' long curving roads and streets framed with tall buildings she could weave through, merging with its' framework until she was just the door to sounding chimes and voices. Her friends, now long forgotten distant memories so that she could barely remember their faces, had been a major factor for her desire not to leave.

Because her father had been mayor of Radiant Garden at the time of her arrival on Destiny Islands, her name had already been well-known and tales of her cheating father and his betrayal had caused the islanders to look upon her and her mother with shadows of pitying eyes and false alabaster smiles. It had only contributed to her anger and loss at the time, and that summer right before school was to begin, she had been deeply apprehensive.

Then, she had met Sora and all her fears had seemed to melt away. He hadn't looked at her like she was something to be pitied and he hadn't made her feel like she was too fragile to be made friends with. He had recognized her strength and hadn't cared about rumors or influencing opinions.

Instantaneously it had seemed, she had been accepted, as if Sora carried such a weight of underlying, unobstructed power that his friends and all the people he associated with welcomed and accepted her with open arms. Originally, what had once been guarded smiles and pitying eyes had burned and turned to ash, and as the ash was swept away by air and sea, a gentle all encompassing tender warmth came that she could again call home. Yes, being with Sora was like coming home.

The beautiful boy belonged to no one, but that didn't stop people from trying to claim him. His unknowing flirtatiousness and mischievous playfulness naturally drew others in, and she constantly had to stand guard and make sure to keep those with an unhealthy addiction to his light a safe distance away. She didn't have to work too hard, knowing that no matter how close those got to him, even close enough to touch, that he would eventually elude their grasp. In the beginning she had been both possessive and jealous, realizing that she was not the only one with a claim on Sora's affections, but she had soon understood what others hadn't.

He would _always_ come back to her.

She hadn't encountered any strong enough to combat her hold on Sora, and being here with him, she would make sure of it.

_I'm going to find Sora now._

_

* * *

_

After Sora left the kitchen he headed back toward his dorm room. He felt excited, dizzy and giddy. His face felt hot and flushed and his emotions were a confused and twisted jumble. He'd never felt like this before. He'd had crushes, or at least, he thought that he had, but never anything like this. He wanted to get to know Squall, but he had also wanted Squall to push him back onto the counter and….He flushed again thinking about it. He turned the corner that led to the hall where his room was and pulled out the key from his pocket, his thoughts still centered on the sexy, gray-eyed Fourth year.

"Well, well, looks like the mouse came out of his hole to play," said a voice from behind him.

Sora whirled around, his heart sinking into his stomach as he recognized to whom the voice belonged.

"Riku," Sora whispered.

"None other," Riku said. He was standing with his arms crossed and his shoulder propped against the wall across from Sora's room. He started walking toward Sora who straightened and turned to face him.

"What do you want?" said Sora warily. Riku laughed at that and when his chuckles had died off he tilted his head as if pondering the question. "What do I want? Are we going to keep playing this game then? I guess we can, I have to admit I've found it entertaining thus far."

Sora thought about how long it would take for him to jam the key into the lock before Riku was on him and if he could possibly make it into his room before then. Even if he could though, Sora didn't like the idea of turning his back on Riku or the idea that Riku would think that Sora was cowardly enough to run from him. _I'm not a mouse or a kitten. _

Riku drew nearer to him and Sora once again stood his ground. He smirked and before Sora was aware of it, found himself pressed against his door with Riku pressed full body up against his. Sora gasped as felt Riku's hips pressed into his own, at the feeling of heat that ran through his body as Riku bent down and brushed his lips beneath his ear then swiped at it with his tongue. He began to nibble on the lobe, his breath hot, and Sora suddenly found it hard not to melt into the door as hot shivers ran through him. He felt his eyes involuntarily begin to close but as Riku's nibbles headed down toward his neck Sora felt alarm bells going off in his head as he was reminded of _who_ was kissing and licking him. Sora shoved at Riku abruptly, and Riku, caught off guard stumbled before righting himself. He straightened and then glared into Sora's eyes, his pride very obviously hurt at Sora's rejection.

"Sora?" said a voice from his right. He jumped, a little startled that he hadn't heard anyone approach having been too wrapped up in Riku's presence to notice. Sora turned toward the voice, which sounded extremely familiar to him. He turned his head and felt his eyes widen as he recognized the figure in front of him who was now glaring into Riku's eyes.

_Kairi?_


	3. Playing With Fire

**Thanks for the great reviews guys! Hearts and I look forward to reading every one!**

**Shaysterr:** Yeah, Kairi's pretty obsessive about Sora but we love her anyway.

**Tysonkaiexperiment:** Yeah, we can't wait for Squall to shove Sora against the nearest hard or soft surface either. Squall and Sora together, yeah, they are pretty damn hot. Although Hearts and I are definitely RikuxSora lovers as well. We actually like Kairi a lot, so don't worry about us making her into too much of a bitch, she's just going to be really protective of Sora.

**Mistress D. Gray-Freak:** Yeah, Squall and Sora are definitely yummy right now, but don't count Riku out just yet. There's still a lot more to come.

**Walkin' kitten:** Don't worry. Our plans are to have Sora stay strong because he _is_. I think a lot of people underestimate his strength of will. He never faltered in the game, and we're trying to reflect that here. Yes, it's definitely fun to make Riku work for it, he's too used to getting his own way, so we're planning on Sora leading him a merry chase for quite a while yet. As for crude and gritty sex, we're definitely planning for some of that and no, Sora is not going to fall in love that soon, although he really does have a romantic interest as well as a lustful one in Squall. BTW, Sora and Kairi are both in their sophomore/2nd years of high school, so 15 going on 16, while Riku is a junior/3rd year, so 16 going on 17, Squall is in his senior year/4th year,and we'll just say for the sake of naughtiness and underage loving, that Squall is 18.

**Windyhurrice:** We don't really have plans for a SephyCloud pairing, although we do have plans for both to make an appearance in this fic. Hearts prefers that pairing to LeonCloud as well, so maybe in another fic. We find it refreshing too that Sora stands up to Riku. And yes, it's an all-boys school. Read on for more about Roxas and possible visits :D

**Corrosive Moon**: We love SquallxSora, but Hearts and I are definitely RikuxSora lovers as well. Don't count Riku out yet, he's still in the game. As for Kairi, she's not as bad as she seems, but you'll see.

**Seriousconversation:** Lols, don't die just yet, we got a long way to go. Yup, a lot of people seem to like the SquallxSora pairing but we still got Riku to contend with and Sora's going to have some chemistry there as well, so you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for the compliment. We're pretty hooked on this, too.

**Becca86: **Demyx is definitely adorable and I secretly think Zexion thinks so, too. Fencing starts soon, although by the time you finish this chapter, you may be looking forward to something else as well. Yes, Kairi is going to make things interesting, we guarantee it. And we love a strong Sora.

**Autumnlove113: **We are all for love triangles. We like things complicated like that! Although it does tend to make for challenging writing.

**.Jew:** We know, we prefer Kairi as just being Sora's BF as well, which she really is, despite her crush. It's interesting to kind of have two triangles at once, even if it does make it somewhat challenging for us.

**Okay, now on to the story. Don't forget to review afterwards. More reviews makes for faster updates. Plus, it makes us happy, and you guys do want to keep us happy, right? **

* * *

Sora was confused. One minute he had been facing off with Riku—perhaps, literally, the next, his best friend Kairi appeared, dressed as a boy in the exact same uniform he himself was wearing.

_What the hell is going on?_

Sora stood in the hallway in front of his dorm, thoroughly bewildered by the events of the past few minutes. Riku and Kairi stood motionless, pansy-blue eyes locked with aquamarine and neither showed any signs of backing down. Even to Sora, not known to be particularly observant, it appeared that the two were locked in some sort of nonverbal combat and silent words were being exchanged.

"Um, Kai-"

"Sora, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you?" Kairi said to Sora, although her eyes were still on Riku's.

"I-I was in the computer lab emailing Roxas." _Wait, why do I have to explain myself? What is she doing here?_

"Who the hell are you?" said Riku to Kairi.

Kairi's posture stiffened at Riku's tone as she said, "Not that it's any of your business but my name is Kai Murasaki. I'm a new transfer student here," she said to Riku, ice lacing her words.

Sora was stunned because he had never heard Kairi take that tone with anyone; she was always friendly to everyone, even people she didn't particularly like. She had once laughingly claimed that manners were the mark of a true lady but her behavior now was anything but polite.

As far as Sora knew, Kairi had never even met Riku, so what possible reason could she have for disliking him enough to openly show it? Not that he objected to this particular dislike. It was actually kind of nice to have someone here agree with him that Riku wasn't God's gift to the Academy. That thought reminded Sora of Kairi's present claim.

W_hat the hell! A transfer student? What is she up to?_

"Oh, it's my business, alright. Everything about this school is my business and I can guarantee that you're going to be learning that very soon," Riku said to Kairi, his tone like molten lava coated with frost.

At this, Sora could no longer contain himself, his entire being infused with frustration, anger, and bewilderment.

"Don't you dare threaten my friend! We've had this discussion before, Riku and yet you still don't seem to get it. I'm not going to let you walk all over me or my friends, so just back off! I'm sick of you, and God, it hasn't even been two full days!" At this, Riku's face closed into an expressionless mask and his eyes resembled turquoise glaciers.

"It's not a threat, Sora. It's a promise," he said, shooting one last ice-filled glance at Kairi before turning on his heels and storming down the corridor.

_Well, at least he didn't call me kitten,_ Sora though wryly, although he feared that might be a sign of how mad Riku really was. Moreover, he _knew_ that there were going to be consequences for pissing him off to that extent. He believed Riku's claim and didn't have any doubts that he would follow through.

Sora slumped against his door, his thoughts in turmoil as he turned back to Kairi. She was still staring after Riku, a pensive frown on her face before she finally turned around to give a timid smile to Sora.

"Hi," she said. Sora just rolled his eyes and she giggled.

Sora and Kairi were sitting in the suite that joined their rooms; Kairi curled up in one of the overstuffed chairs while Sora occupied the nearby loveseat. It turned out that the locked door from the previous night belonged to Kairi and he couldn't believe the kind of strings she (or someone else she bamboozled, Kairi was good at that) must have pulled to have arranged to be rooming right next door to him.

"Okay, so explain again to me why you're here. I'm still a little confused," Sora said, rubbing the back of his head so that his cinnamon-colored spikes stood even more on end. Kairi giggled again before replying.

"Sor, you need me here. I mean, Roxas isn't with you and neither are any of our other friends. I can't stand the idea of you being lonely and I know you're outgoing and usually make a lot of friends but I also know you've never been around people like these. They don't think like the people you grew up with. Most of them are very superficial, trust me, I know. I, unlike you, grew up here. They would eat you alive if they got a chance. I mean, just look at that …that, _Riku_," she spat distastefully. Once again, Sora gave her a puzzled frown, trying to understand her instant dislike for the older boy.

"I know you want to show everyone that you can do it on your own, that you're going to be the best swordsman in the world, which I have no doubt you will," she said sweetly and sincerely before continuing, "but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a little support. Plus, did you ever think about me in this whole equation? I'm proud that you got into this academy, but my best friend was just going to leave me. Did you never think how lonely _I_ might be?" At the question Sora looked at her and thought about this for a second before replying.

"Well, no, not really. I mean, you're the most popular girl in school. You have a ton of friends. I…I guess I just thought that you'd be fine without me," he trailed off lamely. He was really starting to feel guilty.

"It's okay," she said with an understanding smile. "But I _would have_ been lonely without you. The rest of our friends don't even compare to you," she finished quietly.

Sora blushed beet red at that but smiled at her before saying, "Thanks, Kai."

She returned his smile and said, "Don't worry Sora. This is going to be great! And don't worry about your mom. Nami is looking after her and you know what a little caretaker she can be. And now that I'm here you'll have some support. I mean, who else could cheer you on like me?" she asked impishly. Sora laughed at that and agreed. "Just don't forget to call me Kai. My father got me into this school, but if my cover gets blown, he told me that I'd be on my own."

Sora grimaced at that but said, "Yeah, okay, I mean it shouldn't be too hard to call you Kai since I seem to do it all the time anyway."

Kairi smiled. _I knew it wouldn't take long to convince him,_ she thought, inwardly congratulating herself.

* * *

_Sora knew he was dreaming, he knew it and yet he couldn't help himself from reacting as is if it were real. He could see as he ran across the planks, a shadowy figure at first but becoming clearer as he finally reached the little island. Riku stood facing the water, his stance proud and unfazed by the wind, the flashes of light and resulting thunder. He turned to face Sora, his face arrogant and with the characteristic smirk on his mouth. _

_He held out his hand to Sora and said something, something that Sora could not make out, the sound of Riku's voice somehow muffled to Sora's ears. Then, as he watched in horror, shadows moved and thickened into an inky blackness, tendrils of it creeping up from beneath where he stood. He watched in shock and fascination as the tendrils curled themselves around Riku's body and outstretched hand. He could see the darkness beginning to seep around his own feet; shadows come to life to form a black pit that was pulling him under. _

_He looked up again, saw Riku whose face was calm, his hand still outstretched, his posture steady and sure as if the darkness weren't eating him or Sora, and Sora struggled to reach Riku's hand, please God, let him reach, just a few more inches. Their fingertips brushed as he wobbled, fighting the pull of the shadows beneath his feet. He couldn't! His feet and legs were now devoured, then up to his waist, his chest, and he was sinking, yelling a name, __**his**__ name. Riku! Riku, don't leave me!_

"Riku! Don't let me go! Riku!"

Sora sat bolt upright, his chest heaving, and the sweat coating his body causing an icy chill to run through him, making him shiver, and the screamed name still echoing off the walls of Sora's dorm room. His breaths panted from him in short bursts as he ran a shaky hand through his hair and then finally he curled over with his knees drawn up where he placed his forehead while he tried to steady himself. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a nightmare, much less one so terrifying. _God, Riku_.

For some reason he wanted to cry and instead he made an effort to take deep breaths, in and out, until the compulsion faded and he relaxed, lying back down on his pillow and shutting his eyes tight. He tried to remember details, but they were floating away on the sea of consciousness, as hard to hold onto as shadows. Shadows? Then he remembered, shadows come to life, and Riku, Riku standing there with his hand outstretched to Sora, who couldn't reach him, no matter how he struggled against the things sucking him down, down until he disappeared.

_Why was Riku in my dream? Gah, I can't even escape him when I'm sleeping. Why was I so upset that I couldn't reach him, that I lost him? _

Sora shook himself and sat up again, deciding that it was just a dream, a meaningless dream that probably reflected his distaste for the other boy. _Then why were you reaching for him, not running away?_

Sora shook his head again, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and then looking up to check his digital alarm clock. It was 6:20 in the morning, and classes started at 7:45, but he knew he would never go back to sleep, and besides that, the dining hall served breakfast at 6:30, which meant that he could just go shower, dress, and still have plenty of time left over to eat. He thought about waking Kairi but shook his head. Kairi never ate breakfast anyway and it would probably take her forever to get ready.

_Food_, he suddenly thought, and at the idea his stomach started to complain with a cacophony of grumbles, and Sora smiled at the idea of bacon, eggs, and maybe if they had some, doughnuts.

* * *

Demyx walked down the hall, his strides long, light and confident and his thoughts hung up on the face of a slate-haired boy. He had noticed Zexion immediately the first day of art class the year before and even then his heart had drummed in his chest, his face had lit with color and heat,and his tongue had felt like it was permanently stuck to the roof of his mouth. _If only…_

Demyx tried to shake away the thought. Zexion would never notice someone like him. Zexion, who displayed such a quiet inner strength and radiated with intelligence. It's not that Demyx himself was unintelligent, merely…average. Average grades, average height, average looks. His only claim to fame was his exuberance and vivacity and the confidence he had garnered from years of playing music and performing in public.

_But Zexion, I can't compare myself to him. Hell, I can't even talk around him,_ he thought glumly.

He didn't notice the presence of another coming up from behind him, and it was too late by the time he pounced for Demyx to brace himself as the other slammed into him, then slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Hey, Demy, what's got your pants in a twist," said the deep melodic voice now beside his ear.

"Axel, you idiot, you scared the crap out of me!" said Demyx, trying to slow down his erratic breathing. He turned to look at the excitable red-head whose fiery spikes of hair moved as he tilted his head at an angle and his emerald eyes lit with amusement.

"Damn, Demy, you're a little tense this morning, aren't you? Wouldn't have to do with a certain silver-haired boy now, would it?"

For a minute Demyx thought he was talking about Zexion and his heart nearly stopped at the idea that someone knew of his hopeless pining but then he remembered his rather unpleasant encounter with Riku the day before. It had happened after class and it seemed a large part of the school had witnessed Demyx's humiliation. Luckily, Riku hadn't seen fit to physically abuse him, merely spoke to him with a huge blade of contempt that had caused him to nearly wither right there on the spot as he had hunched over, his toes curling in his shoes and the tips of his ears blazing bright red.

"I was fine until you showed up," he muttered irritably but then he sighed and straightened, Axel's arm falling away from him. "No, I'm fine. I'm not worried about that bastard Riku, I'm just thinking about breakfast."

"Riiiight, breakfast," said Axel with a knowing smirk, obviously not believing Demyx's explanation. "I heard though that Riku has a new target this year, some transfer student."

Demyx brightened a little before saying, "That must be Sora. Yeah, Sora stood up to Riku so it wouldn't surprise me if Riku's got it in for him. But my money's on Sora. For such a little guy, he's got a lot of guts."

Axel raised an eyebrow at this before murmuring under his breath, "Interesting. So when do I get to meet this Sora?"

Demyx heard him and said, "He might be in the dining hall. I thought I saw him earlier in the showers, so I'm pretty sure he's already up. I was headed there anyway so if we see him, I'll introduce you."

"Huh, and how did you meet this paragon of courage?"

Demyx flushed red before saying, "Yeah, uh, he kind of, uh, got in the middle of Riku kicking the crap out of me the day before school started."

At that piece of information, Axel's eyes gleamed and his smile widened. "This year could be verrry interesting then." _He's either brave or suicidal, maybe both. This is going to be fun to watch either way._

Sora sat at one of the long tables in the dining hall, a plate heaped with food in front of him. He looked up as he felt the table move as someone sat down across from him. Sora, whose mouth was filled with a chocolate éclair, saw Zexion settle into his chair, with a small plate of toast and scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee in front of him.

"Mmmney," Sora mumbled through his stuffed mouth.

Zexion's lips twitched in amusement as he noticed the plumped out cheeks and lips coated in chocolate."You shouldn't talk with your mouth full, taking smaller bites is better for your digestion, and haven't you ever heard of a napkin?"

Sora scowled at him, still chewing furiously and then he finally swallowed, begrudgingly picking up a nearby napkin. "The sun's barely up and already I'm getting picked on," said Sora with a pout. "You sound like my brother." Zexion's lips twitched again before he silently started on his own food. Suddenly they both felt the table move again as someone pulled out a chair next to Zexion. A hesitant voice said, "Is this seat taken?"

Sora looked up and saw Demyx across from him and then smiled widely before gesturing with his hand and saying, "Sure, Demyx. Take a seat."

"Am I included in this invitation," said an amused voice from beside Sora. Sora turned and saw a flashing pair of amused green eyes and the reddest head of spikes he had ever seen. He was very good-looking, with smooth features and two small triangle tattoos underneath each emerald eye. He was also extremely thin, but he held himself confidently and moved with a brisk, sharp grace. The red-head's smirk widened as he looked at Sora, and he didn't wait for an answer before settling down in the seat next to him.

"Hey, I'm Axel, that's A-X-E-L, got it memorized?"

Sora's lips widened into an answering smirk as he looked up at Axel. "Hey nice to meet you. My name's Sora, S-O-R-A."

Axel merely smiled at this before slinging an arm around the back of Sora's chair and leaning in closer.

"You're really cute. I can see why Riku wants you so bad."

"H-How did you know about that?" Sora asked, confused.

"_Kitten_," Axel said, emphasizing the word, "you guys were pretty public yesterday at lunch. You're quite famous already."

Sora's face flamed in response to this statement before he turned to look back down at his food, saying, "I don't want to talk about Riku. It'll ruin my digestion for sure."

Axel's laugh echoed through the dining hall and then he smiled at Sora. "Fair enough. You can just go back to stuffing your cute little face."

Sora shook his head, but refused to be bated as he picked up his remaining éclair and took another bite. Sora looked at Demyx, who he noticed wasn't touching his own food, too caught up in looking at Zexion out of the corner of his eye in a not-so-subtle manner. Zexion was focused fully on his plate in front of him, as if he knew he was being watched, and his movements had gone from his normal economical grace to somewhat stilted jerks.

Sora finished chewing and was about to say something to break the sudden awkward quiet when he looked up and noticed the gray pair of eyes trained on him from across the hall.

Squall was sitting with Seifer and the auburn-haired jock from the day before. He was dressed like everyone else in his uniform but with the bright yellow band on his arm standing out against the dark jacket. Sora returned Squall's gaze and smiled self-consciously, then made a waving motion with his hand. Squall's eyes merely flickered in acknowledgement and then he picked up the mug in front of him, bringing it to his mouth.

The sight caused him to remember Squall doing the same thing the night before to a cup of tea, which prompted him to remember the fantasy of Squall's mouth on his body. Sora didn't realize he was still staring at him as his face began to flush and his body gave a single shudder, but Squall did, in addition to noting Sora's uncontrollable response, because his eyes flared with heat before he visibly controlled his expression, his face returning to its normal calm visage.

"Whew, man, I love fire but that look nearly singed my eyebrows off," said a whispered voice in Sora's ear. Sora jumped a little and then turned to look into Axel's eyes. Sora opened and shut his mouth, his face hot and his thoughts scrambled.

"That's okay, kid. He is pretty hot. Not my type, but I can see the appeal." Axel's face suddenly went from amused to solemn as he looked at Sora, saying, "Be careful though, cutie. He's friends with Riku, and from what I hear, Riku won't appreciate Squall's interest in you, or yours in him. Riku's not the type to share."

Sora couldn't think of anything to say. He wanted to express his outrage at the statement of Riku's perceived claim on him but he knew that it would be futile to argue something he didn't have any control over. Riku's delusions definitely fell into the category of something he couldn't control.

"I'll be careful," was all he could say. Axel just nodded.

* * *

Sora had just finished his classes for the day and was now seated in a secluded corner in the now vacant library figuring that he could get some math homework done.

_I hate math,_ Sora thought to himself. He was already worried about flunking math and it had only been three days. It wasn't a good sign. Sora sighed dramatically, shoulders slumping slightly. He stared at the burgundy-colored carpeting mumbling about how he'd never been good at math, and that it was boring and useless to his life. Geometry was going to be trouble.

It was a good thing that Sora had come prepared to the library and had brought lots of brain food. Assortments of cookies were in his bag and he couldn't help but think that some munchies would do him some good. He needed the energy…so that he could study. It was time to get to work.

"Mmmmm." Sora moaned to himself as he bit into an especially delicious cookie. It was a buttermilk cookie with raspberry jelly in the center, soft, sweet, and crunchy.

Sora was unfortunately so taken with the sweets he was jamming down his throat that he was completely oblivious to the presence behind him. Sora finally noticed the shadow that had fallen over him and quickly spun around.

"Squall!" Sora cried out in surprise.

The upperclassman stood behind him, one eyebrow raised, leaning against a desk with his arms crossed, the dying rays of the sun through the nearby stained glass window casting a glow over his amused face.

Sora looked up at him, silent, wide blue eyes wide as excited butterflies began fluttering in his stomach. He realized suddenly just how quiet it was and that there was no one else in the library but the two of them. A flush worked its way from his cheeks to his ears and down his throat. Squall apparently noticed it, his eyes following the passage of the blush before raising his eyes to meet Sora's. Squall felt heat pass through his own body in response and gave Sora a look he hoped could pass as disapproval. _He's looking at me that way again. _

"Sorry to interrupt your obvious…pleasure, but some people actually come to the library to get their work done. Not to mention the fact that eating in the library is strictly prohibited."

"I was hungry." Sora said simply, his lips turning up slightly in a smile.

"You're always hungry. Every time I see you, you're eating," Squall remarked with a smirk.

"Am not! Or maybe you just don't see me enough," claimed Sora, looking at Squall from beneath his lashes.

The glance caused Squall's body temperature to heat up several degrees and he suppressed the urge to shudder. He was always cold, so cold, and the nightmares didn't help, but somehow when he came in contact with Sora he was able to forget, at least for a little while. He couldn't help the stab of guilt that pierced through him at the thought.

"Just keep it down." Squall turned to walk away, but Sora quickly stopped him.

"Wait…what's wrong?" A distressed look passed over Sora's features, mouth turning down at the corners, eyes inquiring and concerned. Sora crossed over to him, grabbing a hold of Squall's hand.

_Shit_, Sora was far too close for comfort. He could feel his body tighten unbearably. How long had it been since he'd felt human contact? The heat from Sora's hand made him shudder slightly. He'd nearly forgotten the feeling of such warmth and the sensation served as a reminder of what he'd lost.

"Nothing."

Sora looked up at him, eyes staring intently as he said in a slightly apologetic tone, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, but you looked so…never mind. Let's just forget about it. Why don't you sit down?" Sora asked gesturing over to the cushioned leather chair.

Squall seemed to consider it a moment. "I should get going," but he found his feet gravitating towards the chair anyway. "Only for a moment," Squall seated himself and leaned comfortably back in the chair.

"Nice, huh?" Sora leaned over slightly to peer down at him before taking a seat across from him. The sun had diminished completely, its warm glow gone now so that the library lamps were the only light source.

Squall made a slight grunt of approval. He hadn't slept well the night before, not that he ever did, but for some reason contentment now filled himt, gently lulling him into slumber. _Just for a while._

Sora stared at Squall as he dropped off to sleep. His head was slightly tilted back and to the side, lying quietly on the chair. _He looks so peaceful. _His features were unguarded and soft and Sora couldn't help the sigh that escaped his lips. How was he going to get any work done?

Moments later a gentle snore, barely audible, reverberated through the air and Sora couldn't help the smile that crept up slowly on his lips. He supposed that was Squall's way of telling him to get to work and to stop procrastinating.

About an hour later Sora had accomplished about four problems, half of which he doubted were right.

"Damn proofs." He muttered to himself as he glared at the textbook and the way it only supplied answers to the odd numbered questions. A sudden noise jolted him from his grumbled complaints and he looked up to see that Squall had woken up.

"Could you keep it down?"

Squall's softened grey eyes belied the harshness of his words and Sora found himself grinning warmly and chuckling softly.

Squall glanced over to see what Sora had been mumbling on about only to see a math textbook and an open notebook with doodles running along the sides.

"I see you've been very productive with the time you've spent here. Is that your _homework?_" Squall noted, gesturing to Sora's open notebook with the doodles of small black creatures with antennas and large beady eyes marked yellow with a highlighter pen.

"Um, yeah. Kind of," said Sora with a grin.

Staring at Sora's smiles was a little like looking into the sun—bright and kind of painful. Squall shook away the thought before replying.

"I'm sure your teacher is going to appreciate the visual aids to your math problems," he said dryly, pointing a finger at the drawn creatures.

Sora shrugged sheepishly and said, "Yeah, I suck at math and don't really have any interest in it all, which means it takes me forever to get through. My brother, Roxas, usually helps me and hits me upside the head when he sees I'm not focusing."

"Well, I wouldn't mind the hitting you upside the head part," said Squall with a smirk.

Sora fake pouted at that, exclaiming, "You're so mean!" and then a light bulb visibly went on over Sora's head as he said, "Wait a minute! I don't suppose you're any good at math, are you?" The look in Sora's eyes made Squall feel extremely wary.

"I get by. Why?" said Squall cautiously.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tutor me?" he said with big eyes and a pleading expression. _This is perfect. Time with Squall and my math homework done at the same time. Please say yes._

Squall blanched visibly at the idea but he felt his body tighten at the thought. _God, spending five minutes in this kid's company is challenging enough. Is he __**trying**__ to kill me?_ "I don't think that's a good idea," he managed to get out.

"Awww, why not? Pleease, it can't be that big a deal. I can pay you a little," he said, eyes still big and hopeful.

_With your body? _thought Squall before he could stop himself. _Down boy,_ he told his unruly cock, which had hardened slightly at the thought. _Do not go there._

"Sora—" he began, but the younger boy interrupted again asking in a more solemn tone, "Please Squall, I could really use the help."

_Stick a fork in me, I'm done, _thought Squall with an inward sigh.

"Alright, fine. But you will pay attention when you're with me, no doodling or daydreaming, otherwise I really will hit you upside the head, and probably with more force than your brother uses." Squall tried to ignore the feelings of apprehension, excitement, and barely restrained lust at the thought of spending so much time with Sora. _Yup, definitely trying to kill me._

Sora's smile was brighter than the sun and twice as warm when he said, "Thanks, Squall, you're the best." Squall merely shook his head and closed his eyes. _I hope I don't regret this._

* * *

Roxas stared at the computer screen in front of him. Something was wrong with Sora. If there was one thing he knew, it was his brother. Oh, there was nothing wrong in and of itself with the email that Sora had left. The words were okay but aside from that, everything was wrong with it.

First of all, Sora was something of a rambler, especially when it came to emails. Most of the time he was forced to skim them just to get to the real point of the message (if there _was_ a point) as his brother had a tendency to pour everything he was thinking into it. So the fact that Sora's email was barely four lines made Roxas worried. Furthermore, the idea that the only thing he had to say about his first day was that he was worried over math…well, that just said everything. Sora should be rambling about all the people he had met, how excited he was about fencing, where his room was, what he ate for dinner, blah, blah, blah.

_Math?_ _Since when does Sora care about Math?_

He had been worried from the beginning about Sora going so far away from home. He knew he was being a hypocrite. It wasn't like Twilight Town was all that close, being two hours further away than Radiant Garden from the Destiny Islands. But unlike Sora, Roxas was by nature a rational creature, even if he did have a temper. He could be very practical while his brother was something of a dreamer, with his head constantly in the clouds, eternally optimistic and with an innocence that it seemed he would never outgrow. Roxas didn't _want_ him to outgrow it. It was one of the things he loved best about his brother. But it also meant that Roxas felt the need to protect him from the shadier side of life.

Roxas, in contrast to Sora, felt like he had been born with the knowledge that the world was seldom if ever fair, that things didn't always turn out for the best even when you tried your hardest and that people at heart were not always good. He was also by nature, very suspicious. This meant that despite Sora's words of assurance that his day had been great and that he had met some _interesting_ people, he wanted to see Sora and confirm for himself that his brother was okay.

_Interesting? Since when does Sora describe people as interesting?_

He had initially been planning on going to Destiny High School with his brother but when the recruiter had offered Sora the opportunity to attend Radiant Garden Academy for his sophomore year, Roxas hadn't liked the idea of going to the local high school by himself. It wasn't that he minded the people of Destiny Islands, but at the local school, he would always be compared to his brother and probably found wanting.

Roxas wasn't jealous of how popular Sora was; he loved his brother and was very proud of him. But for Roxas's entire life he had felt like he had lived in his more outgoing brother's shadow. His brother, who seemed to shine in the presence of other people, while Roxas was undoubtedly more introverted, the moon to Sora's sun, with a keen mind and quiet presence that was belied by his occasional bouts of temper.

With those thoughts in his head and with Sora's decision to enroll in the Radiant Garden Academy, Roxas had applied to Twilight Town Academy where he could start over again as an unknown student with an unknown name. It didn't mean that he didn't miss Sora. In fact, he missed him every day, but he was also grateful for the opportunity to be on his own, meeting new people and new friends that were all his own. In this environment, although he would never shine as Sora seemed to do, he managed to display his own glow, in its way just as appealing as Sora's shine, and he reached a contentedness with the friends he was making and with the resulting boost in confidence, found out for himself that he was finally his own person in truth. However, this didn't mean that he didn't worry for Sora.

Roxas got up from the computer and wandered from his desk back to his bed and sat down on it, a frown pasted to his face.

"Hey man, what's wrong?"

Roxas looked up at his roommate Hayner, a slightly taller wiry boy with tawny brown hair and brown eyes with whom he had become quick friends.

Roxas frowned again before saying, "I'm a little worried about Sora. There was something off about the email he sent me, like he's trying to hide something. I don't think his first day went so well." Roxas talked about Sora all the time to Hayner, so he already knew that Roxas had been worried about him being so far from home.

"Seriously man, it was his first day. How bad could things be? Besides, wouldn't he have said something to you if something had _really_ been wrong? I mean, I thought you guys told each other everything," Hayner said, trying to reassure him.

"I don't know. I know Sora, and if things weren't going so well his first day then he probably wouldn't want to tell me and worry me."

"Well, looks like that was a complete failure," Hayner said wryly from his bed across from Roxas.

Roxas smiled back at him ruefully before saying, "I think I might go visit him this weekend, just to make sure."

Hayner looked over at him to see if he was serious before saying, "Well, if you think you really have to, but I say you give it a few days before deciding. I mean, he could just need to settle in, get used to things. If he doesn't email you again and sound more like himself then yeah, maybe you should go and see him. But don't be so hasty."

Roxas nodded his head, his brow furrowing for an instant before saying, "Yeah, maybe you're right. I'll wait and see how things go. But if he doesn't sound better by Friday, then I'm going to go see him on Saturday. It's only a few hours from here by train."

"Well there goes our plans for the beach," said Hayner with a little disgruntlement.

"No, we can still go. I'll go see him afterward," Roxas said.

"Cool," Hayner replied with a smile.

* * *

As Sora was exiting out of his second class the next day, he was thinking about the announcement he had heard in class that fencing would start the next week on Monday. His body had quivered in excited anticipation at the news and he couldn't wait to tell Kairi. He had made plans to meet with her at lunch, and he knew she would be almost as excited as he was. Then Sora frowned, remembering his best-friend's strange behavior, the worry that she had shown him the day before when they had been sitting in their suite going over the events of the day.

She seemed nervous lately, had told him yesterday that some guys had been giving her strange looks. She had laughed as she said it but Sora could tell that she was uneasy by the quavering quality of her voice. Her worry made him worry. Kairi had an imagination, yes, but not about stuff like that. His brow furrowed but he shook away his apprehension with the thought that he would be with her, that nothing would happen to her with him there to protect her, against what, he still wasn't certain. As he stepped into the hall leading to his third class he overheard the excited murmurs of a group of boys' voices echoing through the halls.

"Yeah, I know! I heard it's some transfer student. Kai Mura somethin' or other. Ha ha! I'm gonna go check it out. It should be fun. You should come too!" one voice said as he slung an arm around his friend. He heard their laughter resonate through the hall.

Wait, what about Kairi? Sora suddenly felt something unsettling form in the pit of his stomach.

"Hey, wait up!" Sora shouted at the group of boys. They turned startled faces to him but paused in their progress.

"What's going on? What about Kai?" Sora said as he approached the group. The feeling in his stomach was getting increasingly worse.

The group of boys' gave him an excited look as the one who had spoken before replied,

"Some new transfer is getting beat up, its-" before he could even finish the sentence Sora grabbed his collar dragging his face close enough to see the blemishes and nose hairs of the boy, slightly choking him in the process before he demanded powerfully,

"Where!"

"Behind…Holl-ow..Bas-tion..Hall," the boy choked out.

Sora was running down the hall before any of the boys' could even react.

_Kairi, I'm coming._

There were six of them, all surrounding her, closing in. Laughing faces, shady silhouettes looming darkly. The way the inky shadows cloaked their skin caused a frightening effect. Dark creatures with no distinct features. Kairi had never felt scared like this before, never felt actual fear for her physical safety.

_God, Sora where are you?_

"Pretty little boy, come out to play."

"We don't need pansies like you at our school."

"You should go home already and spare yourself the aggravation-"

"—And we're definitely planning on being aggravatin,'"

One of them shoved her and then another, a circle of demons surrounding her. She was shoved from figure to figure, until she finally collapsed at the center, and she could feel them closing in, their eyes alight with barely restrained violence.

_Riku, this is because of Riku, _she thought. _What have you done? What are you doing? What will they do to me? What will you do to Sora? Sora, please…don't come…it's a trap!_

And, as if she had conjured him from her thoughts, Sora was suddenly there, breaking through the circle and standing in front of her in a defensive stance she recognized from many of the fencing tournaments she had been to. _He doesn't have his sword. _

Sora was thinking the same thing. With his sword he had every confidence he could make these guys wish they were never born, but without one…He had learned some defensive maneuvers, how to stick and dodge and he could probably keep them at bay, keep them from completely beating the crap out of him, but that wouldn't help Kairi. He needed to get rid of them, to scare or beat them away. _But how?_

"Awwww, look guys, he's got a little boyfriend."

"Just what we don't need, more fucking fags at this school."

"Looks as if he wants some of this too."

"Sure, why not, there's plenty to go 'round."

Sora was standing poised, his posture crouched defensively, back hunched a little, swaying lightly on the balls of his feet, when he noticed a large stick out of the corner of his eye, under the lone oak tree in front of the Hall. Sora didn't even pause. He ran for the stick, breaking through once again, the circle of faces startled as Sora dodge rolled toward it in a somersault that ended with him back on his feet, scooping it up in the process. He turned back around to face them, his expression set into a determined frown, stick held to his right side, once again crouched and ready. His movements seemed to have drawn attention away from Kairi, and Sora shouted at her to run.

"Go Kairi, just go! Run!"

Kairi didn't want to leave him, her heart broke a little at the thought, but she knew that if she didn't she would only be a distraction for him, that he would worry for her safety and end up hurt.

_I can go for help! Please Sora, be okay. Please. _It was her last thought before she darted into the Hall's nearby doorway.

Sora turned to face the six disgruntled boys, now deprived of their original prey.

"Man, Riku's gonna be ticked," one of the boys hissed.

"Yeah, but we can still kick the shit out of this one so it's not a total loss. We can go after the other one later."

Sora dimly registered what they had said about Riku, that Riku had put them up to this.

_I knew he wasn't going to let it go. Riku, you're going to pay for this,_ he thought just as one of the boys lunged at him.

Sora dodged away once again before whirling to his right, crashing the stick into one boy's gut, causing him to hunch over as he gasped for air, then whirling again to the left, smashing the heavy wood into another boy's face, the smack audible as the boy screamed and blood began to pour from his nose. Sora didn't pause in his assault, slashing upward and catching a third under the chin then following it with another blow to his stomach. The boy went down as Sora turned around to face the fourth who was sneaking up behind him. The boy's face had formed a menacing grimace as he approached and Sora feinted to the left, then dodge rolled behind the boy's right side and swept the stick at the back of the boy's knees. The boy went down and Sora whacked the stick into the boy's face, his nose becoming a splatter of blood. Sora turned to face the remaining two, but they saw what Sora had done to their companions and were already making their escape, their footsteps pounding away, their faces white with shock.

"Alright, that's enough," said a familiar voice from his right.

Sora whirled around and saw Riku standing there with a slightly stunned expression on his face before his face went blank and then formed its usual smirk. Sora saw red, his body trembling as wrath filled him at what he knew Riku had done, put these boys up to beating up Kairi to get rid of her. Sora lifted the stick again, ready to hit Riku across his smug face but Riku made a placating gesture, taking a step back.

"I said that's enough. I'm not going to attack you," he said, then continued. "I didn't know you had fencing experience," Riku commented with interest.

"What you know about me wouldn't fill a thimble," Sora replied with a snarl.

"Admittedly. Still, this could make things even more interesting," said Riku in a musing tone.

"What the hell are you talking about, you bastard!" Sora shouted, Riku's calm causing Sora's ire to flare further.

"What if we make a deal?" Riku said. Before he could continue an approaching voice yelled his name.

"Sora!" Kairi shouted, running toward him, then once she reached him, crouching over, her face flushed and her breath coming in pants.

"Help's coming," she said, then looked around at the groaning boys, most of them still on the ground or huddled over, another vomiting on the far side of the tree. Kairi's face broke into a delighted grin before saying, "Looks like you don't really need it though. Good job, Sora!" Sora couldn't help but smile back, but it faded when he remembered the presence of Riku.

Riku was looking at Kairi, his eyes glowing with malice before turning back to Sora.

"I'll make you a deal," he repeated, "if you beat me in a fencing duel, I'll leave Kai alone. No more harassment or bullying." He paused as if waiting for Sora to comment, but Sora remained silent, his mind too stunned to react. Riku continued, saying, "But if I win, Kai has to leave the school, he has to drop out."

"What!" Kairi exclaimed from beside Sora. "You bastard, you can't ask that!"

"You still don't get it, do you? I can do whatever I want. You don't have any power here," Riku stated with a sneer. He turned back to Sora, dismissing Kairi as if she were a bug. "He has to leave, and you," he paused, "_you_ belong to _me_. For however long I want you."

Sora's face turned red and his body flushed with heat at the terms of Riku's deal. He closed his eyes tight before reopening them to focus on the silver-haired boy. He took a deep breath before saying, "If I win you have to leave me alone too. No more harassment, no more bullying, no more…coming on to me," he finished in a rush.

Riku shook his head. "No, your freedom isn't one of the terms. Kai will be free from bother but not you. You're still up for grabs."

Sora's face flamed at that before he said loudly, "But that's not fair. Kai has to leave and you get me if you win! If I win, only Kai goes free. That's not fair!" he repeated.

"I never said I was fair. I hold all the cards here, Sora. I could've just demanded you outright in exchange for Kai's safety but I'm giving you a chance to win. Those are the terms, take them or leave them," Riku stated, his face expressionless.

Kairi stood frozen next to Sora, her eyes dark and wide. _Sora, what are you going to do? God, he set this whole thing up. I knew it was a trap, he intended this all along. Sora…_

Sora stared at Riku, then his eyes narrowed and his face set in a determined mask. "Fine. I accept." Kairi cried out in dismay at his answer but Sora turned to her and said, "Don't worry, Kai. It's going to be alright. I'm going to beat him and you'll be safe."

Kairi shook her head, opening her mouth to say, "But Sora—"

"No, Kai. Please, just trust me. I won't let you down."

Kairi stared at him, at the determination radiating from him, and nodded slowly. "I trust you," she said.

Riku took in both of their expressions, his gut tightening into a jealous knot before his face closed into a featureless mask.

"Then the terms are set. The duel will take place tomorrow after school in the fencing arena. I assume you have a sword?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, I've got a sword."

"Good." Riku replied, turning around and walking away. His steps had barely faded before a voice came from behind Sora.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sora turned to the newly arrived teacher who was staring down at the still-groaning boys on the ground. Sora's eyes rolled and he let out a sigh.

_Well, this just sucks._


	4. To the Victor Goes the Spoils

**Disclaimer: Alright *sigh*, once again, Keys and I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or we do, but only in an AU called Yaoi Universe, but that's obviously not this one so…**

**To Our Wonderful Reviewers: Thank you all so much for reading and commenting on our fic! Keys and I can't tell you how gratified we are that you like it so much and we look forward to reading every review. We were a little astounded at the number of reviews we received for the last chapter and we loved it! Please keep it up! The more we hear from you, the more we can't wait to write the next chapter, so it works out well for everyone. Reviewer responses are going to be longer than usual because there were so many of you so bear with me.**

**YaoiLovingJew: Yeah, sorry about your name being cut off. We don't know what happened but it kept being cut out in the uploading process. Sorry, I took out the periods in your name, so that it won't cut off your name. Hope that works. Wanting Riku to win seems to be the general fan consensus, but we'll see…Sora's pretty good. And you're right, Riku is just going to bug Sora no matter what happens.**

**Becca86: Lol, you don't have to stay polite! We know Riku's being a *beep*hole (stays polite). Anyway, yup, Roxas and Axel are going to meet and there are definitely going to be some sparks flying! I can't wait either! As for Squall winning Sora's heart, it seems to be leaning in that direction although that's not a sure thing. Keys and I go back and forth on it constantly so stay tuned.**

**Autumnlove113: We like badass Riku too, even if he is um, kind of overwhelming Sora with his, um, charm. Poor Kairi, everyone seems to have wanted her to get beaten or leave. You might like this chapter then. Read on for more. Riku winning…well, you'll see soon! I'm sure you're going to find the results satisfactory either way, cause you know Riku's never going to leave Sora alone.**

**Mistress D. Gray-Freak: Awww, Riku always deserves a chance! We just love him that much. But Squall is definitely ahead in the race for Sora's heart. We'll just have to see about the race for Sora's body…**

**Deadly-grace: Our idea of fencing in this story is definitely not gloves and masks, so don't worry. It's going to be a little more unorthodox than that, although Keys and I did do some research pertaining to more traditional fencing. Thanks for the advice about adding more descriptions, which we tried to do in this chapter a bit more. It can be challenging sometimes, especially when trying to fit in all the dialogue and plot sequences. We always appreciate critiquing and thoughtful reviews so don't worry about appearing mean! Axel's great (one of my all-time favorite characters) and I promise eventually he's going to be in it a lot more. Also, I too love the CloudSeph pairing and I think I've talked Keys into doing a reference to the pairing in this fic, so it should be great!**

**Corrosive Moon: Well, we're just going to see about Riku winning, although that seems to be the fan favorite. Poor Sora…everyone wants him to lose…(Sora pouts) but it's going to be entertaining no matter who wins, promise!**

**Seriousconversation: We can't wait for math lessons to start either, and as for Kairi leaving….stay tuned.**

**Tysonkaiexperiment: We figured it was completely in Riku's character (at least in this fic) for Riku to cheat to get Sora's attention. And I'm all for Squall rewarding Sora with, hmmm, presents *lascivious smirk* every time he gets a question right. As for Squall giving Riku a "Sora-likes-me-more speech" that would be hilarious. I'll have to talk about it with Keys…I'm really looking forward to your next chapter for The 13****th**** hour, BTW.**

**SavvyLovesYaoi: Yup, we love LeSo, too (even though we are big SoRiku fans at heart = OTP) and they definitely have some HOT chemistry. As for if they'll have a fling…well, you'll see *smirk* Your theories on a former Cloud/Leon relationship are intriguing but we can't say anything for sure just yet so stay tuned…Axel and Roxas are going to be great together and I promise they'll be coming up soon! There is a Zemyx scene in this chapter that you'll probably appreciate, though.**

**Kagzii: You're the only one who commented on the dreams and I'm quite impressed. Yes, they're significant and you'll see eventually…**

**Sad0-masochisticPyro: Lol, Riku is definitely deluded about Sora, beginning with that expression, although I see no signs that his delusion are letting up. Don't worry, we're more than happy to feed your addiction and thanks for faving us!**

**Walkin' kitten: Don't worry, you don't sound lame! Your review was one of my favs and we're glad that you like how we wrote Squall and Sora and yes, tutoring is going to be fun! Riku sounds psycho now, we know, but we're pretty sure he's not going to stay that way and you'll eventually see his softer side in an unexpected way. We fully agree the terms of the deal are unfair, but that's just how this twisted Riku is working so far. Don't worry, Sora's going to stay strong, no matter what's thrown at him because that's just the kind of guy he is. More Roxas and Axel in the next chapter when they'll finally meet and you'll definitely see some sparks!**

**Windyhurrice: Sorry about misspelling your name! Anyway, I think I've actually talked Keys into putting in a SephyCloud pairing reference (I'm a fan of this pairing too, BTW) and yes, you're going to see more member of the Organization at Sora's school, where the majority of them are, so keep reading!**

**Also thanks also to the following reviewers:**

**GlasStitches: glad you liked it!**

**Jaye-hunter: We like Sora/Squall too! Read on for more and thanks for the compliment!**

**Sakura evil twin of Sango: Thanks!**

**A Pin Drop: We're excited too and thanks a bunch!**

**xXxSmidgexXx: Wow, hope I spelled your name right! Anyway, thanks a lot! Love back at you!**

**Freddie85: Thank you, we agree. Enough said, Lol! :D**

**Whew, finally finished! Anyway, on to the next chapter and we hope you guys like it!**

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Kairi hadn't had a good night's sleep. Her mind had been too full of unwieldy and unpleasant thoughts, her body and brain felt heavy and thick with them until all she had been able to do was toss and turn while occasionally falling into a fitful doze. This had led to her current state, lying in uneasy silence with the first rays of morning light peeking from beneath the drapes of her window. In addition to the uneasiness that filled her thoughts was a nauseous churning in the void of her stomach, and the vague thought came to her that she had experienced the sensation before. Lack of sleep was inhibiting any possibility of rational thought as well as causing the tense cramping of the muscles in her neck and back, and Kairi found that she was unable to connect the links of her memories into a single coherent chain.

_I'll just think about it later._

As she kicked the pink floral print comforter away she couldn't help the slight chill that swept across her. Had she left the window open? She glanced at it, situated to the right of her bed. The heavy burgundy drapes were drawn forcing her to get up and make her way across the deep-wine colored carpet to lift them. To her dismay the window wasn't open, and the sun was already radiating intense light onto the towers that housed each dorm surrounding the courtyard. Light spilled across the floor encompassing her and the room, and yet, the anxious chill was still there, creeping its' way along her spine.

Kairi made her way to the bathroom, a small room with only a toilet, sink, and small mirror, her bare feet pattering lightly across the cold linoleum floor. She grimaced as she thought of her need for a shower. Unfortunately that had proved to be a tricky situation, as she had not considered the idea that the dorms would have communal showers. She reasoned to herself that she would have to sneak out later that evening when everyone had gone to bed in order to take a shower in privacy.

She knew it was early still, but she also knew that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep even if she desired to do so. Although the thought of eating at the present moment was unappealing, it would give her something to do while she mulled over whatever it was that was bothering her.

_It's probably because I'm worried about Sora._

She couldn't help the feeling that even if Sora won, there would still be something…something that Riku hadn't mentioned, some hidden motive deliberately kept secret from Sora pertaining to their deal.

If she had known that her presence at the school would be such a detriment to Sora, she wouldn't have come. She didn't want to be the source of any problems for Sora, and yet…

_I've become a burden._

The thought came unrelenting in its force.

_I want to protect Sora, but instead….. I've done the opposite. _

Her selfish actions in coming to the school had given Sora a weakness. He had always been protective of her, but now it was being used against him. Kairi knew Sora wouldn't blame her; it just wasn't in him to hold grudges, not that it would even occur to him to have any, especially against her, but she also felt that it was her fault, at least partly. Riku held the majority of the blame but that didn't make her feel better to know it. She didn't like to admit it, but their combined desire for Sora was hurting him.

When she had first looked into the aqua-blue eyes of the silver-haired boy, seen his perfectly chiseled features, the sneer on his mouth, she had experienced an instant surge of dislike that she knew was rooted in fear. She had feared him, his effect on Sora and the ruthlessness she had sensed at the core that would drive him to pursue his desires. It had forced her to look at herself more closely than ever, because although she was loath to admit it, they shared a certain likeness.

_We hate in others what we see in ourselves. _Her mother had once told her that whenever there was an inexplicable hate in one's heart that it was important to look to oneself for the answers.

Kairi stared at herself in the mirror and cringed. Her eyes were shadowed with dark circles, still puffy from a restless sleep and her short red hair usually bouncy and full was now limp and stringy. She couldn't wait till that evening. She would just have to risk it and take the shower now and hope that she could lose herself in the clean spray and wash away the increasing feelings of desperation and hopelessness. Yes, a shower would do her some good and then she could get some breakfast and, with any luck, come up with an idea to help Sora and atone for being the burden she knew she had become.

* * *

The courtyard was still empty as Kairi made her way across it from the dining hall. The grass crunched beneath her feet, still damp from the early morning dew and gave way eventually to the pavement of the courtyard. A cool breeze blew lightly across her hair and swept it gently over her face and the cool smell of wet cement wafted to her nose. She turned to look back at the castle, the morning light casting huge shadows from the edifice, the stone appearing even more cold and unyielding when compared to the warmth of the sun.

The thought of the cold stone caused Kairi to shiver and she moved toward a wooden bench positioned so it faced the sun. It was situated across from the dining hall and during the day was normally occupied by students, most especially during the lunch hours, but at the moment it appeared invitingly vacant, and Kairi figured she could eat her breakfast and recline on the bench while pondering the dark foreboding feelings she had experienced upon waking.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a black and silver figure coming toward her. Kairi turned her head to the left and upon seeing who it was felt an immediate desire to get up and move quickly in the opposite direction. Kairi, however, was not and never had been a coward and so she stood from the bench and waited. Come to think of it, would it be so bad to confront Riku? Of course, she had no idea as to what he wished to speak to her about but it wouldn't hurt to try and appease the silver-haired young man. Maybe, if she did, it would take the burden off Sora, even if just a minute amount.

The courtyard was still empty of students so at least they wouldn't draw any unwanted attention. As she watched his approach Kairi couldn't help but tense at the smirk that was dominating his face. It was the smug look of victory, the look that said that he knew all of her secrets. Kairi could feel all of the blood rush out of her face at the thought and his smirk grew wider as he saw her visible reaction to his presence.

"Hello Kai….or should I say, Kairi?

* * *

Sora walked slowly to his first period class, contemplating the view as he did so which was breathtaking in the morning light. The open-air stone-cobbled walkway which led to his class allowed for a stunning view that looked out onto the city of Radiant Garden. Further in the distance along the horizon were the larger structures of great buildings where the marketplace and business district were located. At night the distant city was illuminated with color as the marketplace came alive to tourists and billboards lit up advertising everything from various new products to shows and entertainment venues.

Closer to the castle was the actual town itself, with houses topped with sienna-colored stucco rooftops, paved streets and sidewalks lined with chestnut and maple trees along with small-square yards and lawns. Directly down below from where he was standing he saw the great ravine that circled the castle and at one time had probably been a moat and had in addition, according to rumor, been home to waterfalls, but was now drained and empty, revealing only crevices and rocky slopes that were steep enough to give the impression of a small canyon.

The only purpose Sora could now see for the empty moat was to deter students from entering the city at will. The platform elevator that had taken him to the castle from the city was closely watched and regulated by the caretaker, Xigbar, of whom all the students were afraid. Sora was sure he would find a way into the city eventually but for right now was perfectly content to stay in the castle. Life right now was pretty exciting and had yet to become boring enough to where he felt the need to escape the castle. Of course, with the way the whole Riku Situation was going, he might need to escape soon.

Sora shook his head, dismissing the dismal thought as he turned the corner. The open-air walkway disappeared into a roof-covered corridor which led to an open set of double doors, taking him out of sight of the open view and back into the castle proper. He sighed at the loss and pondered his schedule. How had he ended up with Home Economics again?

Sora knew why, of course. He was a transfer student, and thereby received last pick for classes, in other words, those classes that hadn't yet been full, and Home Ec appeared to be one such class. It was an elective class that was only once a week and not only gave the benefit of additional units along with the easy "A" that such electives usually entailed, but also meant something much more important, and Sora brightened at the thought, his face breaking into an easy grin. FOOD. Food, as in sweets.

_It's only a bunch of cooking stuff. I'll get to eat during class…maybe a cake….or pastries with raspberries or strawberries...or maybe both._

_Home Ec is gonna be a piece of cake._

_

* * *

_

Tidus stepped into the classroom and the sudden scent of flowers wafted up to his nose.

_What the hell?_

"AH! It looks like we have a new addition to our _budding_ family!" Tidus could only stare in shock at the man in front of him.

_Pink hair!_ _It can't be a guy, _but, as Tidus continued to stare he noticed the flat chest that indeed signified that _it_ was a _man. So this is him, _he thought_. _

The two windows were opened, cherry blossom trees peeking in through the opening. _Cherry blossoms? Didn't those only bloom in the spring? _Nonetheless, pink and white blossoms were littered on the floor and over the desks where rows of students were paired together. Toward the back of the room were long tables and stretched across these were bundle upon bundle of different colored flowers, lined up in bunches. On another table sat a great array of vases of different sizes and shapes and Tidus shook his head in confusion. This was Home Economics, right?

The pink-haired man came closer and leaned into Tidus whispering softly.

"This is so _exciting._ Another pretty flower is joining my class." Tidus saw the hungry expression on the man's face and attempted to back away slowly, but the man quickly grabbed hold of his arm.

_Oh GOD! He's gonna EAT me!_

"Come now, don't be scared, I promise to be gentle_._"At this the man winked in a way that Tidus thought was supposed to be _sexy_, but came across as creepy instead.

"Count yourself lucky that you are not seated with the rest of the weeds," the man said with a grimace, directing the look towards the already seated students. His face then brightened noticeably as he said, "You will be sitting with the other flower I have seated right _here!_" and at this the man took hold of his things and quickly plopped then down next to the only un-partnered boy in the class.

This desk was separated from all the others far to the front of the class, and the person seated in the chair was none other than…

"Sora! Isn't this exciting? You'll be paired with another flower! You two make such pretty flowers, but don't worry, although you are but budding blooms now, I will _nurture_ and turn you into beautifully full-blown blossoms." The pink-haired man clapped his hands together and beamed a smile excitedly, as he forcefully pushed Tidus into his seat.

Tidus was stunned. He'd thought he'd come prepared. Tidus had heard the rumors about Marluxia, about what taking his class could do for you; access to becoming part of the power structure of the school. It was through teachers like Marluxia, Vexen, and Saix that one gained access to this power, through their recommendations that one could have unlimited access through the castle, introductions and connections to famous alumni, invitations to the social parties of Radiant Garden, and of course, a pass to enjoy the city whenever one wanted.

He knew this wasn't going to be the easy "A" most students taking this class thought it would be, but he would have never guessed that this crazy psycho pink-haired fruitcake before him was _the_ _guy!_

Tidus was a friendly guy, well-liked. Shouldn't someone have told him about the fact that _the guy_ was more of a _she-guy, _not to mention the most important factor of all…the pink haired man was a total pedophilic perv?

Then again, there had been so much buzz going on about the "flower" seated next to him that he _had _been a little distracted.

Tidus inwardly sighed.

"All right, class! Attention!" said the pink-haired man as he slapped a long, thin bamboo stick on the podium in front of him. The whole class seemed to jump from the force of the sound it made against the hard wood surface.

"I'm sure many of you are wondering about me. I know there's so much you want to know, ne?" At this he winked at the desk where Tidus and Sora were seated. Tidus inwardly gagged.

_Please God! If you're listening, I promise to be good. I'll be considerate, humble, honest…and stuff. Just please…have mercy!_

"My name is Marluxia, and if you hadn't guessed it already, I am the Home Economics teacher. Home Economics builds internal discipline that further extends your human development. We will explore the ecological diversity of the planet, delving deep into ourselves as we find…"

Tidus looked around in horror as Marluxia continued his speech. _Please, someone, save me! Alright, so God isn't listening. Buddha!?_

"…Caring and sharing the parts of ourselves that define our inner, but most importantly our outer beauty…" Marluxia then winked again at Tidus.

_Oh god! I just puked a little in my mouth! Just swallow it Tidus! Be strong!_

"…and as such we will further hone these skills by exploring the beautiful art of flower arranging!"

Groans could be heard echoing through the classroom. Why was everyone accepting this bogus curriculum? Tidus looked around to see if someone was going to speak up. _Weeds!? Flowers!? _Tidus couldn't let this go. This teacher, if he could be called that, was a total psycho that had to be shut down.

Tidus looked to see who had been left in a non-traumatized state…and found none…except for…

"Hey!" Sora stood up abruptly to face the pink-haired fairy.

_Yes, finally! _Tidus thought to himself, inwardly smirking. He'd heard the rumors about Sora and seen enough of him to know that if the boy could face-off against Riku and not have his spleen removed, then a pink-haired cream-puff wouldn't be so hard to take down.

"I thought there would be baking and, you know…like sweets…and stuff…"

Tidus was nodding his head in agreement until the words processed in his brain.

_WHAT!_ _Noooooo!_ Who cared about baking? Their virtue was at stake here. _No way! I am not gonna become some butt-boy for this pink-haired flamer!_

Marluxia came forward, his face calm, and half-lidded gaze trained on Sora. He leaned in closely, and whispered into Sora's ear something that Tidus couldn't hear, but from the way Sora was blushing, he could only guess at the sordid, disgusting words that had popped out of the fairy's mouth.

Tidus saw the glare that formed on Sora's face. _Has he realized our fate yet, if we don't fight back…make a stand!_ Tidus inwardly waved his fist.

"Awww, come on Marluxia! I was really looking forward to baking…well, I guess I actually wouldn't technically be _doing_ the baking…but…eating…I'd be good at the tasting part…" Sora said sighing before his face settled into a pout.

"Maybe if you're a very good boy…I might give you something…sweet." Marluxia drew out the last word and Tidus coughed to cover a snort. Did Sora not realize that they were in obvious danger? Their teacher was probably on crack, or worse, and Sora only wanted to think about cake and cookies.

_Sora, we are his chosen victims!! _Tidus looked at Sora, hoping to get his attention, but he was apparently lost in some private inner battle.

"Now sit! I will not tolerate disobedience!" At this, Marluxia slapped Sora on the ass with his bamboo stick. Tidus heard a collective gasp echo through the room. He didn't want to see their faces for to see the fear and shock reflected in their eyes would probably only further damage his own increasingly fragile psyche.

_Am I in hell? Is that why my prayers haven't been answered? _

"Shut it, you weeds! Or would any of you like to take his place before me?" Marluxia waved his bamboo stick, pointing at the "weeds."

_Oh God, it's begun. The sexual harassment…and the first day of class isn't even over yet._

There was only silence.

Marluxia smirked. "Good, not that any of you _could_ take his place."

Tidus saw the glare that Sora was directing at the pink-haired man before he exclaimed, "Hey, you know this isn't over! What does flower-arranging have to do with Home Economics?"

Marluxia lifted the bamboo stick threateningly in response but Sora stood his ground.

Marluxia stared at Sora for a moment in silence before a pleased smile broke onto his face and he said, "I like games, they can be _sooo fun!_ I love breaking the minds of innocent young teenagers!" Marluxia clapped his hands.

Sora, however just nodded his head at Marluxia, as if acknowledging some unspoken challenge, his mouth set in a determined line. Marluxia's reference to games caused Tidus to freeze for an instant before his heart began beating rapidly and he yelled inwardly in glee. _They had passed!_ Sora had passed the test of wills, the one that Marluxia gave to chosen students at the start of The Game every year.

Tidus stood up abruptly coming towards Sora waving a fist in the air.

"YEAH! You're on Marluxia!" Tidus slung an arm around Sora, who looked a little surprised.

"Seeing your crying face will make me happy for many years to come. I shall revel in your pain and humiliation," Marluxia replied with a smirk.

Yes, Marluxia was a psycho, but every year he chose two new students, always the most "beautiful," and competed against them in a game of one-upmanship that was known as The Game. From now on, Sora and Tidus would be put through a series of tests that would challenge their wits and mental strength. It was all a game…a test of wills;_ a trial to see who could mind-fuck the other._ Who would fall first? If he and Sora won, they would gain Marluxia as an ally, giving them power over the students and even certain members of administration. It was a secret challenge that was only known to the students that were chosen. Losing was not an option.

Many students had fallen prey…had failed and been turned into virtual slaves for Marluxia; puppets to be used. Marluxia had only ever been defeated by one pair of students, Riku and Squall. Now, he and Sora would have a go against him…and they would come out victorious.

Sora looked at Tidus and smiled mischievously, his hands coming up behind his head.

"It was a test to see if you could handle it. You passed…but it's only the beginning," Tidus said, smirking at Sora.

Sora's brow furrowed for a minute before he sighed and smiled at Tidus, saying, "It's all just a game, huh? Should be fun."

"Hell, yeah!" They would win The Game. All they had to do was defeat the pink-haired fudge packer at his own twisted and perverted game.

* * *

The day seemed to drag for Sora. The only thing he could think about was the upcoming duel that afternoon. He had to admit, his first class had been a nice distraction, meeting Tidus who now seemed to be his ally against their devious and perverted teacher. Sora was still a little confused over the whole Game thing, which Tidus had babbled about as they left the classroom after a torturous hour and a half of _flower arranging, _but he was going along with it because anything that could thwart a teacher, who insisted that putting flowers into vases was _fun_, was a good thing. It was also nice to have an ally, and even though he knew Tidus was friends with Riku, he didn't seem like a bad guy and Sora liked the spirit he showed. They had exchanged numbers with plans to develop a strategy on how they would deal with Marluxia, and Sora couldn't help but be excited at the possibility of mischief.

However, the butterflies in his stomach were his constant companion through the rest of the long morning classes and he couldn't remember a thing from any of them, nor had he felt much like studying the previous night, making any attention he might have paid in class futile because he understood none of it. He hadn't slept well but although his brain felt sluggish, his senses remained alert, his body ready to whip into action at the first sign of need.

As he made his way out of his math class toward the dining hall for lunch, muttering under his breath once again about the evils of the Pythagorean Theorem and proofs, he felt an unwilling smile tug at his lip at the thought of Squall, his new math tutor.

Things were looking up. Once he got this whole Riku Situation squared away, he'd be home-free. Surely once he'd beaten Riku in the duel, Riku would realize he wasn't a pushover and just leave him alone? That would leave him free to pursue his interests, to make new friends like Tidus, Demyx, Zexion, and, well, Axel, who, although appearing kind of strange, seemed like a nice enough guy. Not to mention he'd have his best friend Kairi, and his last though definitely not least interest of pursuit, Squall.

How did one go about pursuing someone, especially when that someone was another guy, another guy who was only questionably interested in oneself?

Sora shrugged away his confused thoughts as he headed out of stone corridor leading to the stairs that would take him down to the dining hall. A sudden flow of babbling students poured out of a nearby classroom and they all turned to look at him as he walked by. The volume of their babble increased with every step he took past their classroom and he winced as he caught what they were saying.

"That's him! The kid who's gonna fight Riku!"

"Man, no way is that kid going to win against Riku! Look how small he is!"

"Do you think he even knows how to use a sword? He doesn't even look like he could lift one."

"Yeah, but I heard he kicked, like, a dozen guys asses yesterday!"

"That can't be true! No way! Riku's gonna wipe the floor with him."

Sora grimaced and began to walk faster, not watching where he was going, just trying to keep his head down and avoid notice. As more and more students poured into the hall Sora increased his pace, noticing out of the corners of his eyes the sudden pointing, the gesticulations in his direction, the increase in volume of voices where the words _new kid, duel, Riku, _and _dead man_ seemed to be the prominent words coming from every direction, and Sora, for the first time, found himself wishing he could just disappear.

He tucked his chin down so that it practically touched his chest, and so, not watching where he was going, suddenly slammed into someone hard enough to cause him to stumble backward, like bouncing off a brick wall, except this brick wall was most definitely human. Unexpectedly he felt someone grab him by the wrist and roughly propel him into what appeared to be a deserted corridor with barely any lighting, the lanterns here sparse and dimly lit, the echoes of laughing and chattering students fading as he was dragged further into the darkened hall. Sora felt a moment of panic but stiffened his spine as he tried to jerk away.

"Hey, let me g—"

"Shut up! I need to talk to you," a familiar deep voice said close to his ear.

"S-Squall?" Sora stammered, ceasing his attempts to jerk away.

"Yes, it's me. Now keep walking. This side of the castle hasn't been fully remodeled yet so it's restricted. We can talk alone here."

"Why do we need to talk alone? What's going on? Does this have to do with Riku?"

"Because I don't want to be interrupted, you'll see in a minute, and yes, it has to do with Riku," he gritted out while once again grasping Sora's wrist in a firm grip and tugging him down the corridor.

Sora took a moment to look around at his surroundings. The corridor was growing dimmer the farther they walked and Sora could barely make out the presence of the rough stone walls covered in what appeared to be molding tapestries. Marble and stone statues along with rusting suits of armor were grouped against the walls, as if they had been dumped here in the hallway for some purpose.

At the end of the corridor, Sora could see a large window yellowed with grime and dirt that reluctantly seemed to let in a sparse amount of sunlight and two doors positioned on either side of it. The carpet here sank as they walked, as if water in large amounts had leaked into it, and this supposition was confirmed by the heavy smell of mold coming from beneath his feet.

"The roof here cracked a year and a half ago. Above us are the Second Years' showers, so this place took a lot of water damage. There was a lot of structural damage too, so it's not considered safe for students to be here and they haven't started renovations yet," Squall said, as they approached the door to the right of the window, and then turned the knob which emitted an audible metal creak followed by the groaning of hinges as the door opened.

Sora peered in before stepping inside. The room appeared to be a classroom. On the far side was a set of long high windows, rounded at the top, and square at the bottom, formed in the springline style that seemed to be popular around the castle and which were covered in the same yellow grime as the hallway windows.

Shoved up against the wall where the windows were set were dozens of desks, some standing upright, some toppled over, and some piled atop one another, as if a great bulldozer had come in and shoved everything against the far wall. The wallpaper was cracked and peeling and the chalkboard to the right and at the front of the room were tilted slightly, as if they had somehow come unbolted. The rough hewn floors beneath Sora's feet felt uneven as he moved further into the classroom and turned so that his back was to the windows, facing Squall who entered the room then closed the door with and audible groan and click.

Sora could feel that his mouth had become dry, and he nervously licked his lips. His heart suddenly seemed to want to part from his body as it beat a mad gallop against his chest. He'd been alone with Squall before, but it had never felt like this, as if they were miles away from anyone else and that there were really would be no interruptions this time.

Sora tried to still his thoughts, to remain calm and concentrate on the purpose of being there. He had said this was about Riku. What could he possibly have to say about Riku? Did he know about their deal?

Sora struggled to make out Squall's expression in the dim lighting cast by the grimy windows but even at the best of times Squall's expressions were difficult to read. Silence, long and almost painful filled the room, oppressive and thick, and Sora struggled to say something, anything, but his mouth felt parched and dry, and his throat seemed to close up with every attempt at speech. The silence drew out until Sora felt as if his body was being stretched out on a rack, so tense did he feel, and Squall's sudden question caused Sora's whole body to freeze as the silence was broken.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Squall's suddenly loud voice exclaimed, the words reverberating in the still room.

Sora just stared at him, unable to answer or even understand the question. Squall took an abrupt step toward him and Sora found himself stumbling backwards at the startling movement.

"I asked you, what the hell you think you're doing." This time Sora could tell that Squall had said this through gritted teeth and Sora gulped down a nervous breath. His pounding heart had not slowed down from its frantic pace, not recognizing the difference between the earlier tension he had felt and Squall's now very obvious anger.

"I-I don't know what you mean," Sora replied uncertainly. _Why is he so mad?_

"Did I or did I not tell you to stay away from Riku? Because I'm pretty sure challenging Riku to a duel doesn't come under the heading of staying away from him."

"Hey, wait a minute," Sora said, his usual spirit coming back at the perceived injustice of what Squall was saying, "He challenged _me_ to a duel, not the other way around."

"And I'm sure that's going to make a hell of a lot of difference when you're in the infirmary recovering from what Riku will do to you."

"Hey! You've never seen me spar before. I know everyone seems to think I'm going to get my ass handed to me, but I'm really good! You'll see! Riku isn't going to win this one!"

"I wasn't just talking about the duel," Squall replied, his voice quiet and serious.

Sora felt confused for a moment before Sora connected in his mind Squall's reference to an infirmary and what Riku would do to him. Sora's face flooded with color and heat as he stared at Squall's shadowed features uncertainly, his mind turning circles and trying to suppress the surge of embarrassment that he felt. _Is he talking about my deal with Riku?_

"W-what do you mean?" Sora asked hesitantly.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Sora. I know about the duel, the deal you made, the terms that were set and what Riku has planned for you. The question is, do _you_? Do you really understand what you're getting yourself into if you lose?"

"I'm not going to lose!" Sora shouted hotly.

"You really don't get it, do you? This isn't a game, Sora! This is your life. Riku will _own_ you, use you until he's finished with you, until any respect you had for yourself is dead and gone. Are you willing to risk that for the sake of a friend who could simply leave the school?"

Sora's face flushed angrily and his chest heaved with suppressed fury as he said, "You're right. I don't understand, Squall! I don't understand how you can be friends with someone you know would treat me like that! I-I don't understand your friendship with someone like Riku and why, if you are friends with him, you'd warn me about him."

Sora shook his head, turning his head away and shutting his eyes tightly before sighing and turning back to face Squall. Sora looked at him a little sadly before asking, "Why, Leon, why?"

"Don't call me that!" Squall suddenly snapped, turning his back to Sora as he paced away from him.

"Fine!" Sora snapped back, suddenly losing patience, "Why is he your friend? You don't even seem to like him. You don't seem the type to hang around with someone you don't like or have any respect for."

Squall swung back around to face Sora, his shadowed features tense and still. "I don't have to justify myself or my friends to you, Sora. And I never said that I don't like or respect Riku. You're right about one thing, I don't tolerate people that I don't respect, and that includes Riku."

Sora's shoulders slumped under the rebuke, his emotions a tangle of hurt, anger, and confusion. He turned away from Squall to face the windows, trying to hide the feelings he knew were broadcast across his face, to choke down the questions he desperately wanted to ask that he knew would go unanswered, even if he managed to verbalize them.

_Do you even care about me at all?_

No sooner had Sora thought this then he heard Squall's footsteps approach him quietly. He could feel the warmth of him against his back and then a hand was placed lightly on his shoulder. He felt Squall trying to turn him around and he resisted for an instant before giving in and finally turning around to face him. He kept his head down, not willing to look up at Squall and see the look of contempt he was sure would be there.

"Sora--" Squall started, stopping for a moment and using the hand that had been on Sora's shoulder to tip up his face so that he could look into Sora's eyes. Squall's thumb briefly caressed Sora's cheek and Sora fought to keep his eyes open under the wave of pleasure this caused.

_I don't get it. What does he want from me? _Sora thought, still struggling to hide his confused thoughts. Even more confusing was the warmth and tenderness Sora saw in Squall's gaze.

_Why is he looking at me like that? Isn't he here for Riku?_ _Squall gives the term 'hot and cold' a new meaning._

Squall looked steadily into Sora's eyes as he said, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I _am_ concerned for you. You don't know Riku like I do. You've only seen one side of him, the side he shows to everyone but his friends. I know you think he's an asshole, I can't blame you for that, especially considering everything he's done since you came here, but trust me, this whole thing, this deal, isn't good for either of you. Both of you are going to be hurt when this is over."

Sora was now feeling completely bewildered, questions forming faster than he could possibly voice them. "Hurt Riku? How could _I_ possibly hurt Riku?"

Squall sighed and took his hand from Sora's chin, running it through his hair before looking back down at Sora. "I don't know whether you'll hurt Riku or not. I'm not really sure how Riku feels about you, other than the obvious fact that he wants you. I _do_ know that this—this situation isn't good for him, not mentally or emotionally. "He's—" and again Squall hesitated, as if struggling not to say something, before starting again. "If Riku does this now, hurts someone like you, the way I'm worried that he will and gives into his darker nature, then I'm afraid there won't be any going back for him. This will impact him for the rest of his life."

_So, he's worried about Riku?_

Sora's stance stiffened at the thought and he took a step back from Squall, looking into his eyes as he said, "No offense, but am I supposed to care about how Riku feels when he's trying to hurt me? You're right that I don't know about Riku's good side, or if he even has one, but I _do_ know that I have no intention of losing. You want to protect Riku, that's understandable because regardless of how I feel about it, you're his friend, but I have someone that I need to protect, too. I will win, and I will protect Kair—Kai from getting hurt, and in the end, that's all that matters."

Squall was silent and Sora tried to compose his jumbled thoughts. He tried to sort them out, along with his feelings; confusion at Squall's concern for Riku, admiration for his loyalty to his friend, a pang of envy that the concern wasn't for him, anger that everyone including Squall would underestimate him to the extent that they were, and finally determination that he would prove them all wrong.

"Why are you talking to _me_ about this? Shouldn't you be discussing this with _Riku_? I mean, he started this whole thing—the fighting, the coming on to me, the duel, all of it was _him_. All he has to do is leave me and Kai alone and everything would be fine." Sora could feel his face settle into its characteristic pout as he said this and his eyes stared defiantly up into Squall's.

Squall turned away so that Sora was facing his profile. He bowed his head and brought his hand up to his face so that he pinched the bridge of his nose between his pointer finger and thumb before saying, "You're right, this was dumb. There's nothing you can do about it now. Riku wants you, and even if you by some miracle manage to win this, it's not going to stop. It's only going to make Riku more determined to have you. I can't interfere in this, not without letting Riku know that I—"

He abruptly cut himself off and brought his arm down, lifting his head and turning it around to look back at Sora, staring into his face and looking into his eyes, as if searching for something, his eyes softening for an instant before they returned to their normal blankness.

Sora took a step closer to Squall and asked softly, his voice unconsciously seductive, "Know that you what, Squall?" His eyes locked on Squall's for a long moment, the stillness in the room once again palpable. The silence drew out for what felt like hours, the only sound that of their noticeably increasing breaths as they stared at one another.

Sora licked his lips, all of the moisture in his mouth seemed to have evaporated in the tense atmosphere and Squall followed the movement of Sora's tongue with his eyes, his gaze flaring, and Sora could feel the rush of heat in his stomach and groin in response as he fought to breathe. Squall's gaze was now noticeably focused on Sora's mouth and Sora bit his lip, wanting to step closer to Squall, to once again feel the warmth of his body.

Sora must have telegraphed this desire to Squall because his body markedly tensed, then he shuddered and took a step away from Sora, very visibly reining himself in, shutting his eyes tightly then opening them again.

He relaxed the muscles in his body and the calm mask slipped into place once more, his eyes and face were composed if not exactly serene when Squall said, "I hope you're right, I hope you win. But don't underestimate him. Sephiroth trained him well."

Sora was feeling frustrated at Squall's obvious withdrawal when what Squall said hit him like a thunderbolt and his eyes widened, the blood drained from his face, and the heat that had lingered in his body from Squall's gaze disappeared as suddenly as it had come. His throat closed before he finally managed to squeak, "Sephiroth?!"

* * *

Upon entering through the massive wooden doors of the dining hall, Zexion found himself bombarded with the disarmingly loud sounds and smells that consisted of students seated in uncomfortably tapered wooden chairs avidly conversing with friends while wholeheartedly inhaling as much food as possible.

There was a large oblong table situated in the middle of the room with even smaller rectangular tables running symmetrically on each opposing side. Well-lit light fixtures were positioned throughout the room, adding a freshly bright and warm light that corresponded well with the pentagonal shaped aperture of light streaming from the highest point of the vastly grooved ceiling.

After retrieving a large plate of food, Zexion entered a small room that was jointly connected to the rest of the dining hall. It was usually left unoccupied due to its chilly draftiness that seemed to seep from the cold, smoothly dark tiles. There were eight chairs surrounding an ovular table dimly lit with two small candles set in glowing table lamps of glass and solid brass.

Zexion seated himself in a one of the small wooden ladder-backed chairs that was in view of a long pointed stone opening that lead down a narrow darkly lit pathway containing the small wood door in which he had entered.

Zexion stared at the crossed brightly shining swords situated securely in place to the right of where he was seated. Looking at them reminded him of the rumors he had heard about the duel Sora was to have with Riku. He _would_ question Sora's sanity, but he already knew the boy had none. Sora had a very simplistic nature, but was just as contrarily complex. Sometimes it was hard to understand how Sora formulated his thoughts. The boy just didn't seem to compute the fact that Riku was not someone that should be combated.

Zexion himself hadn't had the chance to confront Sora, but he knew what the rumors said; most of the students were in favor of Riku beating the blue-eyed boy, although there were the slim few that held hope that Sora would come out victorious.

Of course, the few who did long to see Riku defeated were probably the same few that Riku bullied occasionally and therefore wished to see Riku taken down a peg or two, or three. Well, at least it was a source of good entertainment, because not many, if any, ever challenged Riku.

Zexion had to admit that he hoped, however unlikely, that Sora would win. He wasn't one to hope for much of anything, if anything at all, but he found the prospect of Sora losing the spark that had given life to what he'd originally thought would be a boring school year, highly unappealing.

_Demyx_, Zexion sighed to himself. If not for Sora's interference that first day would he have ever had the chance to speak to him? Not that they did a lot of talking. Their interactions with one another usually consisted of awkward silences.

Zexion suddenly felt his appetite plummet. If only he could see Demyx now, he'd prove to himself that he wasn't so socially inept. Demyx was an inviting person, with his vibrant green eyes and vivacious personality. It shouldn't be so hard to make polite conversation, but it seemed that even when he made an effort to try, he ended up causing Demyx to close up and turn away, or sometimes stare at him for extended periods of time.

Zexion didn't know which one was more disconcerting. Zexion usually didn't care to make conversation with members of either sex, but with Demyx, it was different.

Zexion was auspiciously unable to continue his downward-spiraling thoughts however due to a loud knocking at one of the heavy wooden double doors, which was indeed fortunate as he was sure he would have sunk into the familiar angst that teenager were prone to, in which his lonely existence was attributed to the cruel abandonment of his parents, and the ruthless relatives he'd been passed around to from the age of eight. All-in-all it was far more beneficial to his well-being for that line of thought to be interrupted.

"Hello? I know somebody's in there and I've sorta got, like a lotta' food, so it'd be kinda humanitarian, to like, open the door!"

Zexion wasn't in the mood to invite visitors, and certainly not a loud specimen such as this one. He'd been having deep thoughts which translated to sad and miserable, (not that Zexion would ever admit this.)

Zexion walked to the door with his usual air of bored indifference and opened it; very slowly of course, just to prolong the torture for the poor victim holding too many plates of food. Heh, it was their fault of course. Why should he feel guilty over someone else's apparent lack of foresight? It was better to punish them, and let them know that stupidity wasn't to be tolerated. Zexion felt that he was being especially vindictive today where normally he'd ignore or give the person a cold, hard stare that sent them scurrying back to the cupboards like the rodents they were.

Of course this action was soon to be regretted as Zexion saw who the person was.

"Hey, Zexion! I saw…um…I mean…what I mean to say is that, well…you didn't take enough food, not that you're not smart enough to know how much you should take…I mean you're really smart..so… but what I mean to say, is that…I figured, well since we've had lunch before, but Sora's not here, and so could you _helpmewiththisfood_ because it's gonna fall.."

Zexion sighed and held his hand out for two of the plates of food, though it appeared that Demyx was holding four. How much food was he expected to eat? It wasn't that Zexion didn't appreciate the gesture; it actually made him feel warm…and maybe a little fuzzy.

_What!_ No, that was wrong! The correct thought process was, and this is how it was meant to be originally; how dare Demyx impose himself on his personal solitude…exclamation mark. Yes, that was what he meant, deliberately ignoring the thought that he had been wishing for Demyx's presence earlier.

Demyx stepped inside and looked at the table that Zexion had obviously been occupying. The room was cold but at least he'd get to spend time with Zexion, not that it was anything special. They'd had lunch together with Sora and a few others; never alone of course, never just the two of them, with only the warmth of their bodies to heat one another, dim candlelight…

"Demyx, sit!" Zexion snapped.

Demyx sat.

Zexion was frustrated. He'd been hoping for a victim to take out his frustrations on, but this wasn't it. Zexion turned to look at Demyx whom sat obediently, flushed face, full pink lips, and sparkling green eyes. _How may I serve you master? _His eyes seemed to say.

Zexion inwardly groaned. _What am I thinking? _When had Zexion had perverted thoughts about anyone? Did he want to take his frustrations out on Demyx? Of course, that train of thought was dangerous because it led to a downward spiral of even more forbidden thoughts that were making the originally cold room turn heated, and was he…perspiring?

Demyx fidgeted, trying to come up with something to say. Zexion was staring so intensely at him, and Demyx being the bird brain he was, had no idea what he was trying to convey. What if he was an unwanted addition, the supposed fifth wheel? Everyone knew cars didn't need a fifth wheel; at least Demyx was smart enough to get that.

"I know Sora's not here…but he's our mutual friend…but Sora's not here, so I figured that we could eat lunch together or something." Demyx sighed. Was he actually forming coherent sentences? Well, kind of. It was a start. At least he'd actually been able to open his mouth this time, unlike the last, when he'd eaten with Zexion in silence, fearing to do or say something stupid like he always managed to do around him. He'd show Zexion that he had something to offer, if not intelligent conversation, then food and maybe the pleasure of his company. Hopefully, it would be pleasurable. Demyx felt his face flush at the thought. _No, Demyx. Bad, Demyx! No molesting Zexion in your head._

Zexion felt his body warm at the flush on Demyx's face.

"It's fine. We can have lunch together, though I think I might have to examine your brain for your obvious lack of taste," Zexion said, sitting and pulling one of the plates of food toward him.

Demyx just stared and smiled half-heartedly. He knew he was dumb, his grades were below average and it took him more than five seconds sometimes to catch on to a joke. Larxene had never failed in offering her loud opinions on his lack of intelligence, and his whole family seemed to believe the same thing. He wasn't bright. He was good at music and performing arts, but nothing substantially important or credible in the eyes of his parents. It didn't mean he had to have his brain examined.

Zexion noticed the empty smile on Demyx's face and sighed inwardly. He wasn't good at this, at making polite conversation or small talk, but he was trying. He _would _try because this was Demyx, Demyx who was always so bright and beautiful, always shining. He grimaced as he again noticed Demyx's empty smile and hated that he had offended him.

"I know I'm not good at this, but what I meant to say, was that I'm not really a great conversationalist. I'm usually very blunt, and straight to the point, and that usually comes off as cold and insensitive, and that's putting it lightly. You're bright…and you have a lot of friends…you're friendly and outgoing…and…and bright." Zexion tried to play it off, but it was the truth. He didn't have friends and most people tended to steer away from him, including his family and relatives. He was just being honest. Demyx shined, while he just faded into the woodwork, which he was normally okay with, but faced with the prospect that Demyx would only find him dull, he almost found himself wishing that he could be different.

Demyx's heart felt like it was about to burst. Zexion had given him a compliment, had even called him bright. Not only that, but he had confided in him. Demyx felt the need to reciprocate the kind of honesty that Zexion had bestowed upon him.

"I don't find you cold at all…I actually get warm all over whenever I see you. As for insensitive, well, I don't know what people say or have said but you've only ever shown me kindness and …warmth, so…yeah."

Zexion could only stare as his heart raced beneath his chest. Had Demyx really said that? Zexion looked into the green eyes and saw his flushed cheeks, searching for some hidden motive. He came up short, when he saw the honesty of expression in Demyx's gaze. _I want to touch him._

Demyx didn't know how long they stared at one another but Zexion was coming closer. So close and yet so slowly that his body felt tense and hot with anticipation. The cool room touched his sensitive skin and Demyx shivered. Zexion's eyes flared and he reached his hand out to Demyx, touching the flushed cheeks, and running a hand over his smooth pink lips.

Demyx felt his tongue reach out instinctively to wet his dry lips, and ended up licking Zexion's thumb instead. Zexion felt his cock jolt at the sensation, heat flaring down his spine, running through his core, tingling down through his abdomen. He looked at the half-lidded boldly yearning gaze, so eager to please. _I want him now._

Demyx saw the unabashed lust in Zexion's eyes, and froze. He couldn't do this. What had he been thinking? The look Zexion was giving him was so foreign and yet so hauntingly familiar that Demyx just wanted to run. It was safe to fantasize, but the reality was so achingly raw. He'd never done this before. He didn't know what to do.

Demyx stood up abruptly.

"I'm sorry, I can't!" Demyx felt on the verge of tears. How could he have been so stupid? _I'm always so stupid. _

Zexion saw the fear that was in Demyx's gaze. How had it come to this? Had he misinterpreted the look on Demyx's face?

"Just wait—Demyx, calm down!" Zexion put his hand out conciliatorily.

"I'm sorry, so sorry…I'm just so stupid….so stupid." Demyx had to leave…he needed to get out. "I'm sorry, Zexion," he repeated and all of a sudden he was gone.

Zexion sat there, his face frozen in a bewildered expression. What the hell had just happened? Had he been too forward? No, that couldn't be it. Demyx had given him signs, had said that he was warm and kind. Was that ruined now? No, he wouldn't allow it. He at least deserved some sort of reasonable explanation.

He couldn't understand Demyx's outburst, but what he did know was that he'd seen a look of obvious fear on his face. Had Zexion caused that? He ran over the events in his mind but the only conclusion he could draw was that he had moved too fast for Demyx.

Zexion was the type that once he decided on a course of action he saw it through to the end. He had decided that he wanted Demyx and so moved forward to obtain his goal. However, Zexion knew that not everyone was as decisive and though normally he would not have been patient with such hesitation, for Demyx he was willing to be as patient as Demyx needed him to be. He would have to approach him slowly, with warmth and kindness.

Demyx had stirred in him something he never thought he'd had. He'd only ever felt the shadows of feelings like this before, the tenderness, the burgeoning affection, not to mention the lust. He'd always been so detached, always the observant party, but…this was different.

Zexion clenched his right hand in frustration, staring at the uneaten food on the table. The room felt chilly once again and although he knew the room hadn't actually risen in temperature with Demyx's presence it had felt that way. Now the room seemed icier than usual and the room that he had once felt comfortable in now just felt lonely, empty, and just plain cold.

_Demyx, I won't let you run away from me._

_

* * *

  
_

Sora walked out of his last class of the day, his thoughts in turmoil. _Damn it! Where was Kairi?_

He had looked for her during breaks and the tail-end of lunch after his talk with Squall but he'd seen no sign of her during the school day. He really wanted, no _needed,_ to talk to her about what he had learned about Riku. _Riku is Sephiroth's son!_

God, how could he not have known this? He wasn't sure what difference it made now. Regardless of his ignorance about Riku's parentage or Riku's apparent training by the foremost swordsman in the world, Sora was going to duel him. _What have I gotten myself into? Squall's right, I had no idea._

Sora gritted his teeth and suppressed the negative thoughts. He wasn't going to do this. His physical ability depended on his mental strength and dwelling on things like this that he had no control over, especially at this point, were liable to hurt him more than help. Besides, his own training was nothing to shake a stick at either. His teacher was also a well-known master swordsman, although his fame was more in a practical field than in the competitive arena.

All of that aside, where _was_ Kairi? He sighed heavily and considered where she might be. _Would she have gone back to her room?_ It was worth checking. Besides, he had another hour before the duel began; he had received a slip of paper slid under his door the evening before confirming the time and place of the duel, so he knew that he still had some time to prepare. He should probably be spending that time doing some warm-up exercises but right now his need to talk to Kairi overshadowed that. Kairi was good for keeping his thoughts directed and motivated and right now it was important to be clear-headed rather than to worry about stretches and exercises.

He walked quickly back toward Kairi's room, approaching the stairs that would take him down to the second floor. Students poured out of their respective classes and Sora lost himself in the crowd flowing down the stairs. He shuffled behind them, listening to their excited chatter. It seemed like the whole school was going to turn out for the duel and he suppressed the nervous butterflies that seemed to want to eat their way out of his stomach.

_Use your nervous energy. Focus it until it becomes the power behind every stroke of your sword._

He remembered the words of his teacher and allowed the butterflies to fill his stomach again, feeling the energy shudder through his body. He followed the crowd down the stairs where he noticed that it began to thin out as people headed down different halls to their rooms. He finally reached the corridor where both his and Kairi's rooms were located and slipped his brass key into the lock, hearing it open with a click as he turned the knob.

As he entered the room his eyes went immediately to his sword propped up against the far wall next to his nightstand. He had cleaned it yesterday so that every inch of it gleamed, the intricate hilt shone silver and gold along with the sheath which was engraved with a swirling pattern from base to tip. He entered, closing the door behind him and went over to it, picking it up, watching as the hilt and sheath caught the late afternoon light shining through the window as he held it vertically and performed a quick slash, bringing his arm down in a quick sweep that ended with the sword in his right hand, his arm outstretched and held at an angle from the floor.

He dropped his arm and backed toward the bed till he felt it hit the back of his knees and sat with the sword across his thighs. He bit his lip as he thought about the events of the day; his talk with Squall, his class with Tidus, and the absence of Kairi. At the thought of Kairi he lifted his head and laid the sword on his bed, walking to the door that led to the living area which in turn connected to Kairi's bedroom.

He entered through the door, shooting only a passing glance through the living room to affirm that Kairi wasn't there. He walked to the connecting door that was Kairi's and knocked firmly three times. Nothing but the echoes of his knocks returned to his ears and his brow furrowed in thought before knocking twice more. Still there was no response and Sora turned the knob hesitantly, surprised to find it unlocked. Kairi always locked her door. It was a habit she had developed to thwart her nosy mother.

He opened the door quickly, suddenly a bad feeling seething in the pit of his stomach. Upon entering he noticed the difference immediately. The room felt empty. Empty in a way that said that no one lived here, no one slept here. The mattress was bare, the pink floral print comforter and matching sheets stripped from the bed, the wardrobe open and empty, the desk bare of writing utensils and Kairi's laptop, and the nightstand empty of the Mickey Mouse alarm clock that Kairi had loved that he had bought for her the previous Christmas.

Sora could feel that his mouth was gaping as he turned in a circle, taking in the barrenness, the utter lack of presence that the room now seemed to showcase. _This can't be happening! _was all he could think.

"Kairi!" Sora shouted, "Kairi, where are you?" It was stupid. He knew it was stupid, because Kairi was so very obviously gone, as if she had never been there at all. He went over to her mattress, about to sit down on it when he noticed a folded sheet of paper laid across it. He eagerly picked it up; anxious for any sign that Kairi was okay. Maybe something had happened, something at home and she had had to leave suddenly. _Without telling you herself? Taking all of her stuff with her?_ Sora shook the thoughts off, noticing that it was addressed to him before unfolding it and reading it quickly.

_Sora,_

_I know that you're wondering where I am. I can't tell you anything and I'm sorry, sorrier than I can say. Please Sora, take care of yourself. You're my best friend and more than I deserve. I love you, please don't forget that. Good luck today and I promise that someday, someday I'll explain everything. Love you always, _

_Kairi_

_That's it! That's all she's going to say!_ Sora thought, bewildered.

He flipped the sheet of paper over, hoping there would be more on the back but not finding anything. He turned it back over, frowning when he noticed that the paper was crinkled and brittle, as if it had become wet at some point. He leaned his face toward the paper, looking closely at the paper and noticed there were darker blotched stains on the paper, as if water droplets had fallen onto it.

_She was crying when she wrote this. What the hell happened that would make her cry? Why did she leave? Is she okay? What am I going to do about the duel?_

The **duel!** Oh God, the duel! What was he going to do? This duel was being fought partly for Kairi's sake. If she wasn't here, if she wasn't coming back, was he still going to have to fight? Wouldn't the terms have to change? Otherwise, what was the benefit in him fighting at all? He had to talk to Riku!

_Riku! Where is Riku? Tidus. Tidus would know,_ he thought, running back to his room to get to his phone.

* * *

Riku was in his room lying on his bed looking up at the ceiling and waiting for the appearance of Sora. He knew the younger boy would appear soon and his heart drummed in anticipation. Everything was working out like he had planned since Kairi had come to the school and he had come up with the idea to get rid of her.

_Her. _

Now that had been a surprisingly auspicious stroke of luck. Finding out that Kairi had been a girl had made it that much easier to get rid of her. He had flirted with one of the office assistants, finally managing to get her to pull Kairi's file after bribing her with the offer of taking her out to dinner, in order to find out if there were any so-called skeletons in Kai's closet that he could use, and had discovered a few discrepancies.

Her transcripts and school documents from her previous high school for one, while under the name Kai Murasaki, had shown some unusual extra-curricular activities—cheerleading, homecoming queen, and girls' volleyball for starters. After that it hadn't taken him long to track down the information that certain school officials had deliberately overlooked these indicators in exchange for a bribe from a certain mayor.

Then he had seen her coming out of the showers that morning, and although she had been wrapped in a towel, her form had been unmistakably female and that had clinched it. It hadn't been too hard to convince her to leave after that, especially after he had threatened to not only reveal her status as female, but to expose her father's bribery, who, having already been involved in the scandal of an affair, couldn't afford another. Riku had sworn her to secrecy about his involvement in her sudden departure, knowing that Sora would feel demoralized about her absence, not knowing the reason why, and maybe attributing it to her lack of faith in him.

Oh, he had every intention of fighting Sora in the duel. The opportunity was too good to miss. The younger male needed to know who was boss around here, and while a certain amount of spirit was to be commended (he'd be boring otherwise), Sora needed to show a little more respect to Riku, and Riku knew just how he could do that. On his hands and knees, preferably, or with his legs wrapped around Riku's waist as Riku pounded in and out of him while calling Riku's name. His cock shot up painfully at the thought and he reached down and re-adjusted himself in his trousers more comfortably.

It was going to have to be soon because he was getting tired of being this horny. He knew he could get laid anytime he wanted, hell, that office assistance, although he couldn't quite remember her name (Jenna, Jayda, Jessie, something like that) would have let him fuck her the moment he asked her to spread them, but he just wasn't interested. No, he was only interested in a boy with eyes the color of a hot summer sky.

Riku was a little surprised at his desire for a boy, who having had offers from other members of his sex before, had never felt the inclination to accept, always being more inclined toward females with lush curves. But there was no denying the heat that coursed through his body when he looked at Sora and Riku wasn't interested in denying it anyway. Sora was going to be his. It was just a matter of when, not if.

_Soon._

A sudden pounding at his door signaled Sora's arrival and Riku hummed and smiled in satisfaction as he got up slowly to open the door. He reached the door and opened it and Sora's appearance made his breath catch in his throat. _God, he's beautiful,_ he thought. The younger boy was panting, his cheeks flushed, his blue eyes bright and his face set in a scowl.

"I have to talk to you," Sora said, still taking panting breaths.

Riku smirked and held the door open, stepping aside and gesturing to him with a sweep of his arm. Sora glared at him and stomped into the room before turning around to face Riku.

Riku shut the door and turned so that he was leaning against it, his arms folded across his chest as he slowly perused Sora. Sora was still dressed in his uniform but without the jacket, his shirt untucked from his pants, and the first three buttons of his button-up shirt undone so that the top of a t-shirt showed underneath. Riku licked his lips and tried to concentrate on what Sora was saying.

"…and so I think the duel is a stupid idea," he was saying.

Riku lifted a brow and said, "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Could you repeat that?"

Sora noticeably grit his teeth, his jaw clenching as he repeated, "Kai is gone. Sh, uh, he left the castle earlier today and I don't think he's coming back. You got what you wanted. Kai's gone, so I think that fighting the duel is a stupid idea."

Riku smirked before drawling, "Gone, huh? Hmmm, and he seemed so devoted to you. Didn't have any faith that you'd win, huh? But then I guess that just makes him smart. I guess true love really doesn't conquer all."

_I hate him, _Sora thought, his face flushing in obvious anger as he struggled to ignore Riku's obviously taunting words. Sora decided to reiterate his point by saying, "The duel. I shouldn't have to fight. It's stupid now."

"On the contrary, I think it's a great idea. The fact that Kai is gone is not my problem, it's yours. After all, there's still the issue of yourself as part of the deal, which, by the way, is what I really want. Kai gone from the school was just a bonus," Riku lied, his face carefully blank.

Sora's face was confused as he said, "But…but what am I going to get out of this? What benefit is there to me to fight?"

Riku laughed and his voice was sarcastic as he said, "Why, you get a reprieve from me, of course. Temporary freedom will be yours."

"But that's no benefit at all!" Sora protested hotly.

Riku raised an amused brow and said, "You'd rather belong to me now?"

"No!" Sora shouted, his face once again set in a deep scowl. _How did I get into this? _Sora thought.

Riku shrugged moving away from the door and taking a step toward Sora as he raised his hands in a helpless gesture as he said, "Well then you're just going to have to fight the duel, although I'm warning you again, your chances of winning are none to none and I wouldn't blame you if you forfeited now." He stepped slowly toward Sora as he said this, coming to stand directly in front of him.

Sora stood his ground, his face suddenly going slack as he realized for the first time that Squall was right, this wasn't going to end. Even if he beat Riku, he would still be determined on owning Sora. His shoulders slumped for an instant before he drew up straight again, his mouth set in a determined mulish line.

"Fine," he said, and for the first time, his voice was cold and his face was empty of emotion as he looked at Riku. "Let's do this."

When Riku only smiled, Sora knew that it was no longer about protecting someone else, it was about protecting himself.

* * *

Author's Notes: Okay, so we know that Home Ec would probably not be taught in an all-boys school (stupid chauvinistic curriculums, it really should be offered, though) but it was just so fun to write and even more fun to torture Tidus and Sora with flower-arranging.

I know, I know! All of you were looking forward to the duel! We promise, it's at the top of the next chapter so don't worry, we're getting there. Roxas and Axel to come also in the next chapter and for those of you who actually like Kairi, she's not gone for good, so Kairi-haters, don't get too complacent. She has to come back and torment Riku some more, and Riku really does need the torment, it's good for his soul!

I know a lot of you can't wait for a Sora and Squall lemon scene, or else you can't wait to see Riku and Sora going at it, and we have one/both planned so stay tuned for that!

Make sure you guys review! We love you!


	5. Black and Blue

Disclaimer: We don't own KH, blah, blah, and blah.

Author's Note: We're really sorry for the wait, guys. Keys is still in school and finding collaborative time sucked. Okay, the truth is we held on to this chapter for a while ( a couple of months) because we weren't sure how satisfied we were with it but then we decided "what the hell, let's post it". Sorry, but we didn't do reviewer responses this time because we were definitely crammed for time but we read every single one and I definitely loved the bunny of inspiration that Corrosive Moon sent us, yay! We promise to do reviewer responses next time. Thanks also to those who put us on their favorite list or their story alerts list.

* * *

Thank you to all of our reviewers, to those of you who have supported us along the way and continue to

Roxas had gotten tired of waiting for Sora to email him back. In fact, he had gone beyond worry and concern and straight to angry. He had already emailed his brother _five_ times! And while Sora could be somewhat lackadaisical, he was never thoughtless or insensitive, which meant either Sora was in trouble or about to _get_ in trouble, neither of which Roxas was comfortable with.

So Roxas had cut his last two classes of the day (with Hayner's promise to cover for him and give him the homework assignments later) and had hopped the train to Radiant Garden in order to track down his errant brother. It wasn't that he didn't trust his brother to be able to handle his own messes…but well, yeah, actually pretty much that was it. Sora was the type of guy to draw trouble to himself even when he wasn't looking for it, often because he was helping someone _else_ who had gotten into trouble. This usually left Sora to face the consequences, or rather, left Roxas, and sometimes Kairi, to get Sora out of having to face them.

And now here he was, in Radiant Garden, in one of the largest cities in the world, and he had no idea where he was going or how to _get_ where he wanted to go. Twilight Town was nowhere near this size nor did it have this many people, and Destiny Islands, well, the largest township there was small enough to fit into Twilight Town three times over.

He looked around the marketplace where he had wandered, at the tall stone skyscrapers that blocked the sun's fading rays, at the stores with overly pricey and often gaudy displays as well as the stalls filled with every kind of fruit and vegetable imaginable and tried not to feel overwhelmed. He didn't like being around this many people at the best of times but it occurred to him as he examined the busy streets with its milling people meandering about, that this was exactly the kind of city that would appeal to Sora, with his exuberant nature and boundless energy. Roxas couldn't help feeling for the first time that his brother's decision to come to Radiant Garden and his own to attend Twilight Town Academy were the first steps leading them on different paths.

Roxas shook off the thought and was set to ask one of the stall-keepers where he could find his brother's school when he was suddenly accosted from behind, a hand having reached out to grip his forearm and he was turned around to look into the greenest eyes he had ever seen on a human.

"Well, hello there. Are you lost, blondie?" The feline smile that graced the young man's lips made Roxas realize where he had seen that expression before. There had once been a black cat that had roamed his neighborhood, and despite the number of people who had tried to catch it, who were more than willing to give the stray a home, the cat had eluded and often outwardly disdained any attempts at domesticating it. At the time the local pet shopkeeper had received a shipment of baby chocobos, bright yellow and cuter than anything Roxas had ever seen. Roxas had helped to unload them as part of one of his many summer jobs and while he was unloading one of the carts the cat had snuck into the open truck bed, had somehow managed to pry open the one remaining crate with teeth and claws, and had eaten every last chocobo inside. The cat had worn the same expression as the older boy standing in front of him. Roxas could practically see the feathers hanging from his mouth. It was therefore with wary eyes and a suspicious tone that he said, "I'm looking for Radiant Garden Academy."

And the green-eyed young man smiled again. "Weeell, isn't today your lucky day?"

* * *

Axel was cutting class for the second time in a row that day. He couldn't see why anyone would ever want to be in a stuffy and uninteresting classroom when they could be in the middle of a city like this one, where anything you wanted or desired could be found for the right price and, if you negotiated well enough, you could sometimes get something for nothing. If anyone knew how to negotiate, it was Axel. He knew the city like the back of his hand, knew where the best strip joints were (both male and female), every night club catering to every taste, where to get the best liquor, and the best drugs. Likewise, he also knew of the more mundane and legitimate areas of the city; where to get the tastiest sushi, to buy the most expensive shoes at wholesale, or where to get the coldest iced-vanilla frappuccinos.

This knowledge had helped him to know when something or some_one_ was out of place, and the cute, no,_ adorable_, blond boy standing in the middle of the marketplace, turning circles as he looked up at the tall buildings in front of him with a scowl on his face, was definitely out of place. And Axel was just the one to help him find it. As he approached him, he ran his eyes up and down every inch of the petite boy's body and a purr-like humming welled in throat. _Oh yes, I'll definitely help him find his place. In bed with me would work juust fine. _The blonde's back was to him, and he reached out his hand to grasp the other's forearm, turning him around as he graced him with a smile.

"Well, hello there. Are you lost, blondie?"

For a moment the younger boy gaped at him and his big blue eyes went wide but the naked surprise on his face was quickly replaced by wariness and his brow furrowed as he said, "I'm looking for Radiant Garden Academy."

_Hmmm. The eyes are familiar…and that face, where have I seen one like it before? _Axel couldn't help smiling again at him as he replied, "Weeell, isn't today your lucky day?"

At that, the other boy's eyes narrowed and he said, "No, not really. I have a feeling that any day with you in it wouldn't be lucky for anyone."

Axel's eyes widened at the response but he couldn't help the startled laugh from escaping his lips. "Well, aren't you a feisty one? Fortunately for you I like my, hmmm…_friends_…feisty. So how about it, want to be friends?" _This one might take some work. Goody, __**finally**__ a challenge._

The young blond's face didn't soften as he answered, "What I _want_ is to find Radiant Garden Academy. If you can't help me do that then I have no use for you." He turned his back on Axel and began to walk away and the red-head was startled into grabbing the younger boy's forearm once again. He let go when the other growled in response and yanked his arm away.

Axel held his hands up in a conciliatory gesture as he said, "Hey, hey, hey, I didn't mean to scare you."

The blond's glower deepened as he ground out, "I'm not scared."

"Well, okay then. Do you want me to get you to the Academy or not?" Axel asked, starting forward and looking back at the other boy to follow.

The blond was motionless for a minute before he asked, "You really know where the Academy is? You aren't just screwing with me?"

The red-head couldn't help his lips from curving at the question. _You have no idea. I haven't even __**begun**__ to screw with you. _He then set his face into an outraged expression as he asked, "Hey, have I done anything yet that would make you not trust me?"

"_Yet _is the operative word in that sentence. And I asked you a question. Do you know where the Academy is or not? My brother Sora goes there and I'm just here to see him."

Axel's eyes widened at that piece of information and he scrutinized the blond in front of him with the knowledge in mind. _ The heart-shaped face, the build and size are similar…but this one's eyes are harder than his brother's. Sora's definitely the more innocent of the two…but this one…yes, this one is definitely more to my…taste…_

"Sora, huh? I know a Sora. Cheerful brunet, big blue eyes, about your size?"

The younger boy's eyes widened. "Yes, that's him. He's a Second Year at the Academy. How do you know him?"

He smirked. "Didn't I tell you? I'm a Fourth Year there." The other boy gave him a questioning look as he glanced around the marketplace before raising an eyebrow. Axel got the hint. "I was simply…taking an extended lunch."

The blond rolled his eyes at that before he said, "Name's Roxas."

"Axel. A-X-E-L, got it memorized?"

Roxas shook his head and rolled his eyes again as he said, "Wow, that has to be the lamest introduction _ever_! Well, are we going or not?"

Axel gestured to Roxas, motioning with his arm for him to follow as they started down the street. "So, are you here to watch your brother duel?"

Roxas stopped and his eyes narrowed as he asked, "Duel?"

* * *

Sora stood with his sword propped against his thigh and adjusted his black fencing gloves which ran halfway up his forearm where they were met by the thin material of his under armor. The under armor that hugged his upper body was a blue two shades darker than the color of his eyes and went from neck to wrist before ending at his hips where it was tucked into a pair of navy blue tight fitting breeches of the same material, a heavy but very thin Kevlar and polycron material made specifically to withstand the piercing of most blades. The breeches bagged at the knees where they were tucked into heavy black boots which ran up his calves to just below his knees.

Sora looked around at the arena, measuring it with his eyes. The piste, or playing area, was fourteen meters long and two meters wide with the standard center line dividing the piste in two. Two meters from the center line on either side were the _en garde_ lines which marked where each fencer would take their beginning positions. The spacing ensured that with the fencers' arms straight and their blades in line that the points of the two blades would normally not make contact, however modern fencing allowed for sizes of blades to vary and therefore blades would often cross even from the starting on guard lines.

Classic fencing rules were more restrictive than modern fencing, which allowed for a greater degree of freedom in movement and technique, especially with the invention of potions, hi-potions and elixirs. Modern fencing was a bastardized version of itself mixed with martial arts, including karate, taekwondo, aikido, and many other disciplines, depending on which kind of instruction the fencer received. Classic fencing rules had been put in place to ensure safety above all else, but with the advent of new healing methods, such precautions were not as necessary, and therefore modern fencing permitted the use of a larger range of fighting methods.

Sora glanced up and around the arena and saw that the stands were beginning to fill with overzealous students eager to witness the downfall of Riku's latest victim. As the bleachers filled with an increasing number of students, Sora realized that he had never felt so isolated before. He missed Kairi and Roxas in that moment more than ever and his longing caused a fierce ache to lodge itself in his chest and he was forced to close his eyes tightly before taking a deep breath and letting it out again.

The pressure in his chest relaxed a little and Sora took another calming breath before he glanced up and saw Zexion enter through the heavy double doors to the right, his head down, and hair hanging heavy in his face. He looked over at Sora, giving his normal unreadable expression before it was broken by the upward tilting of his mouth, and had that been a _wink_? Sora's mouth fell open for a minute before he recovered and returned the wink with a pert salute of two fingers to the forehead while grinning slightly. Zexion's presence made him feel slightly better and he knew that at least one person in the audience would be wishing him luck.

His mood buoyed even further when he noticed who Zexion sat beside and Sora met the piercing green eyes of Axel who smirked slightly at him before giving a little wave. In addition, he noted the presence of Demyx who appeared to be, even from Sora's vantage point, avoiding Zexion's gaze. As if feeling Sora's gaze Demyx looked up and his face broke into a broad grin before he waved frantically, wobbling slightly on the bleacher seat before righting himself, his grin becoming somewhat sheepish, and Sora grinned back, his mood elevating further as the earlier feeling of isolation left him.

Sora suddenly felt a tap on his right shoulder and turned to face whoever it was. He gaped as he found himself facing Roxas. The abrupt disorientation he felt at finding his brother standing before him so suddenly after he had just been wishing for his presence caused Sora to freeze before he awoke from his stupor, ignoring Roxas's glowering face in order to grab him in a tight embrace that caused the blond to squeak in sudden surprise before he grudgingly returned the hug.

"Roxas, what are you doing here? How…how did you get here?" he said into his brother's blond spikes, his arms tightening around his shoulders.

Roxas pulled away after a moment and cast him an amused glance and his mouth twisted sardonically as he replied, "I flew here with my invisible bat wings. Idiot. Of course I took the train."

Sora grinned widely at his brother, feeling suddenly jubilant before he finally noticed Roxas's glowering expression.

"Um, Roxas, what's the matter?" Sora asked hesitantly. He knew what that particular expression meant. It was the look that said he was neck deep in shit and Roxas was going to make sure that Sora knew it.

Roxas's teeth were noticeably gritted when he replied, "What the hell do you mean 'what's wrong'? You haven't answered any of my emails; you've apparently been lying to me by keeping the truth from me about what's really going on with you. Then I meet that red-haired freak who tells me that you've stirred up a hornet's nest by antagonizing the most popular boy at your school, who also just happens to be the best dueler, over the honor of your best friend…Kai, was it? Or should I say Kairi?" His mouth once again twisted sardonically. "Where is she, by the way? I would've thought she'd be here, trying to get you to see some sense."

Sora's head was bowed with guilt and chagrin over his brother's tirade. It did sound bad when Roxas put it that way, but surely he had good reason for his actions. He tentatively met Roxas's eyes with his own, an apology naked in his gaze as he replied, "I don't know where she is. She left me a letter telling me that she's left school, but I'm worried. It's really not like her to just leave like that. Especially with the duel and all. I think something happened but I don't know what." Sora's shoulders slumped for a moment and then he felt Roxas place a comforting hand on his shoulder before he responded.

"I'm sure you're right. Kairi wouldn't leave you if she had a choice. But I'm sure she's fine. You know Kairi; she 's pretty good at landing on her feet despite her _femme fatale_ appearance."

A glimmer of a smile appeared on Sora's countenance before their exchange was interrupted by the opening of the side door. He had to struggle not to let his improved mood deflate as the double doors opened to present his nemesis dressed head-to-toe in black, and at his back were Tidus, Seifer, Squall, and the brawny auburn-haired kid that Tidus had told him was his best friend, Wakka. Tidus smiled faintly at Sora before giving a slightly sarcastic wave. Sora nodded his head in acknowledgement, his lips curving in response to the unspoken rebuke of Tidus, who had told him briefly over the phone that he thought Sora was a "complete fucktard" for getting into the duel in the first place.

He knew Tidus wasn't the only one with that opinion, and Sora's eyes briefly locked with Squall's before he deliberately turned away to look back at Riku. He couldn't afford to get distracted now. Even so, he watched out of the corner of his eye as Squall headed toward the bleachers behind Wakka.

Roxas watched all of this with a faint frown but his eyes rested intently on Riku, who he knew to be his brother's opponent from the way he was dressed if not by the arrogant way that he walked, as if he owned the school.

Unlike the rest of his companions who had headed for the bleachers, Tidus on the other hand approached Sora, walking in his quick strut toward Sora where he leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Don't worry, I got some hi-potions, an elixir and even a phoenix down. I nabbed 'em from my dad's stash, so, you know, in case anything happens…" he trailed off.

"Thanks," Sora said wryly, shaking his head slightly before sighing.

"Hey, you know I didn't mean to….um, it's just that I've seen Riku duel before and he's—"

Sora cut Tidus off. "Good, yeah, I know, I heard."

Roxas made a noise in his throat at the exchange, having caught the gist of the conversation. Riku had to be really good to have caused the level of concern that Roxas could see reflected in the other's blonde's eyes. Tidus turned to look at Roxas, offering a nod of the head in acknowledgement before turning back to Sora who sighed once more before he looked at him and smiled.

"Really, thanks, I appreciate it."

The blitzballer smiled and patted Sora's back uncertainly whispering, "Good luck" and headed toward the bleachers where Wakka and Squall were sitting.

Seifer, who had been trying to listen to Tidus and Sora's whispered conversation, made it a point to stand in front of Sora and sneer down at him before muttering "chickenwuss" under his breath. Roxas took a step toward Seifer in response, standing in front of his brother and glowering into the taller boy's eyes, not backing down even when Seifer moved toward him.

"Who the hell is this?"

Sora spoke up. "My brother, Roxas."

Seifer sneered and said harshly, "Just what we need. Another chickenwuss."

"Seifer," Riku called from where he was standing, having noted the exchange. Roxas turned toward the silver-haired boy and for the first time Roxas locked eyes with Riku. Roxas did not like what he saw. Something in his gaze caused a shiver of apprehension to run through him and the dread increased as he watched Riku's eyes fall on Sora. He couldn't put a name to what he saw in the gilt-haired boy's eyes but he knew that whatever it was didn't bode well for his brother. This was not somebody his innocent brother should be fucking with; he could see that with only a glance. For the first time he felt truly apprehensive about the upcoming duel and he purposely made a movement to draw Riku's attention back to himself and away from Sora. Riku stared back with narrowed eyes, neither of them willing to break from the staring contest until a movement from Seifer caused Roxas to turn back toward him.

Seifer was still sneering down at him when he said, "We'll see how proud you guys are once Riku has wiped the piste with your pretty faces."

"You want to bet on that?" Roxas asked.

Seifer's eyes widened in momentary surprise before he laughed out loud, his guffaws echoing through the arena. "You really think your pipsqueak of a brother is going to beat Riku? Sephiroth's son and heir losing to this…this shrimp!"

Roxas's eyes widened at that news and he turned toward his brother for confirmation. Sora's expression was sheepish as he shrugged and his hand went to the back of his head, messing up his spikes as he rubbed his hand through them.

Roxas rolled his eyes at the familiar gesture of chagrin and he muttered, "Geez, Sora. You sure know how to pick 'em. Can't do anything simple. No, it always has to be the hard way."

"Hey!" Sora exclaimed in protest, but it was a _weak_ protest and they both knew it.

Roxas turned back to Seifer. "I'll bet you that Sora kicks Riku's ass."

Seifer smirked and said, "How much you wanna bet on your pansy of a brother?"

Roxas returned the smirk and said, "A thousand munny."

Sora gasped at the amount and exclaimed, "Roxas, what are you doing? That's your savings!"

The blonde glanced back at his brother replying, "I know. Just means you'll have to win, doesn't it?"

Sora gaped at him before his mouth shut and he gazed back at his brother before a smile appeared on his lips. "Fine. But I get half."

Roxas narrowed his eyes again. "A quarter."

"Half," Sora responded instantly.

"A third," Roxas responded.

"Half," Sora said again.

"Forty percent and that's my final offer."

"Deal." Sora said and Roxas reached out his hand to his brother as they shook on it.

Seifer, having watched the exchange muttered under his breath, "fucking nutcases". He turned to Riku who had also been watching the exchange with a distant unfazed look and asked, "You want in on this?"

Riku smirked, and he gazed at Sora for a moment with sudden intensity before he shook his head at Seifer's inquiry.

"I'm already going to get what I want."

This reply caused Sora's face to flush hotly and Roxas immediately took note of it, scowling at Riku before turning back to his brother.

"What is he talking about, Sora?"

Sora avoided meeting his brother's eyes, fidgeting as he murmured, "I'll tell you later. You should go find a seat. The duel is gonna start."

Roxas knew his brother was keeping something important from him and he was frustrated at Sora's evasions. He had made the bet, knowing that Sora fought best when something was at stake, and without the presence of Kairi, for whose protection the duel had originally been set, Sora hadn't appeared to have anything to fight for. Now it appeared that that wasn't the case and that there was more to the duel than he had been led to believe.

Roxas hesitated and then looked at Sora narrowly, grasping his brother's arm as he spoke. "You'd better win."

Sora smiled at him and said, "I will."

"Don't forget what I taught you. No holds barred, okay? Promise?"

Sora's eyes brightened at the familiar exchange. "Promise," he replied, his smile widening.

Roxas's body relaxed. Sora always kept his promises and if he said he was going win then he would. He nodded at his brother and headed toward the bleachers where Axel was gesturing to a seat next to him. He blew out a breath of exasperation but headed toward the red-head nonetheless.

Sora turned his attention back to his opponent and he examined Riku's form. He had to admit, even from his deservedly biased and unfavorable viewpoint, that Riku cut a striking, and yes, even beautiful figure as he strode toward the piste, his torso clad in a polycron and Kevlar vest that left his arms bare but was obviously heavier than Sora's under-armor.

Sora had decided to forego heavier protection in order to retain greater quickness and range of movement, and it looked as if Riku had decided likewise, because even though his vest was heavier than Sora's shirt, the nakedness of his arms would allow for the same range of movement that Sora was hoping to achieve. Riku's long legs were encased in black breeches tucked into boots, which extended past his knees to reach his upper thighs. His right hand held his sword loosely by his side, encased in a black polycron glove, and Sora narrowly eyed the blade Riku clasped.

Unlike Sora's sword, which was long and thin in the classic sabre style, Riku's was shorter and wider, the hilt and pommel long and sculpted, as if made to specifically fit Riku's hand, but having no hand-guard which was standard to most blades. Instead the deep blue hilt widened into a circular design made uncomfortably to look like an eye, complete with a turquoise tiger-eye gem surrounded by a series of rectangular white stones that manifested into teeth. This design lengthened and narrowed as it reached the base of the blade which had the appearance of a bat wing or more apropos, a demon wing for all of its coloring, the midnight blue blunt edge forming the base of the wing where the "fingers" extended to the sharp or cutting side of the blade, the blood-red webbing in between each finger spread wide to form the rest. On the whole Riku's sword was one of the most menacing blades Sora had ever encountered in his young life, and that included his mentor's, which had been nothing to shake a stick at.

Riku noticed where Sora's eyes had landed and couldn't prevent his customary smirk from forming on his lips. He knew that his sword was intimidating and silently thanked his father, who, although the biggest and most manipulative bastard he had ever known, still had faultless taste in weaponry, especially when outfitting his son. On the other hand, heaven forbid his son ever use an inferior brand of sword!

Riku looked at his opponent's sword still propped against Sora's thigh and frowned slightly. Now that was a surprise. Riku didn't know what he had been expecting, but the elegant strip of metal clasped in Sora's right hand was not it. He could tell that the quality of the sword was superb, even in comparison to his own blade, the scroll working and superiority of the metal readily apparent.

Riku couldn't help but wonder at how a scholarship student (he had discovered this information once again through the very reliable source of a certain office aide by the name of Jenna…uh…Jayda, something like that) could afford such a weapon, but he was distracted from his musings by the equally puzzling appearance of Sora's gloves. Sora was wearing not one, but two fencing gloves. It was customary for fencers to wear only one glove on their attacking hand but perhaps he wore the other for added protection, which was not totally unheard of, although it did make the wearer appear somewhat squeamish. Riku smirked again at this thought.

Sora noted the smirk but ignored it in favor of preparing himself mentally for the upcoming duel, his breathing steady and even, his mind clearing of anything but his opponent, the clamor of the students in the stands fading to an indistinct buzz.

"You ready?" Riku asked condescendingly and Sora nodded tersely, his eyes studying Riku's posture, his stance, and the way he held his sword.

"Let's do this," Sora repeated his words from an hour earlier, taking position behind the _en garde_ line, and Riku mirrored his movement standing behind the opposite line across from him.

"The first person down or disarmed wins," Riku reminded him, and Sora agreed once again with a curt nod of his head. Normally matches happened in three minute periods and the person who either scored fifteen points or with the highest score within that three minute period won. In tournament play, the winner of two out of three sets won the match but as this was a duel and not a judged and scored match, those rules didn't apply.

Sora stood straight, planting one foot in front of the other, feet apart and pointed outward and brought his sword up so that the hand-guard was adjacent to his chin, his sword held vertically, and Riku performed likewise, both simultaneously swinging their swords outward in a quick slashing motion that was the customary salute of a match, signaling its start.

Sora met Riku's eyes, and Riku smiled at him, genuinely smiled at him, not smirked, and Sora was so stunned by this that he almost had his head removed from his shoulders as Riku swung his sword in a quick arc before whirling away. Sora managed to duck and step back simultaneously as he regained his footing, looking back into Riku's face and yup, there was the smirk again, and Riku laughed.

"Let's see what you got, kitten," Riku teased, circling him, and Sora's right hand tightened on the hilt before moving toward his nemesis.

* * *

"The name is Sora!"

Sora came at Riku swiftly, his sword swinging in a sweeping arc that Riku managed to easily dance away from. Sora looked up at Riku and noticed that the confident smirk was still plastered to his face. _He's not taking this fight seriously._ Sora felt his temper flare hotly as he readied himself to attack Riku.

"Hey Riku, you're the one who wanted this!" Sora's face tightened before coming at the older boy, jumping gracefully into midair in a twisting flip, skillfully bending, before his violently swinging blade met Riku's in a clanging spark of fury. Riku's dark blade didn't quite meet Sora's in time leaving his left side open as Sora's blade grazed his arm easily, tearing through the skin in a manner that if it hadn't been for modern healing remedies, would have required stitches and which left a trail of crimson blood that flowed freely down his arm. The tip of Sora's blade was now thinly coated in a deep red.

Riku felt the deep burning sensation tingling down his arm, dulled by the adrenaline now coursing through his veins, and as he looked into Sora's eyes he noticed the seriousness of his expression. He hadn't planned on making this a _real_ duel; he hadn't wanted to damage his soon to be plaything, but maybe things would be more entertaining this way. He could afford to indulge himself, couldn't he?

Riku charged at Sora, bringing his sword down powerfully in an arcing wave of red and black feeling the repercussion of the blade course through his arm as Sora met the blow. Riku pressed down, hard, cat-like eyes staring down as Sora's knees buckled under the pressure of his blade, their swords clanging in sparks of white and midnight blue.

_Shit, he's strong._ Sora thought as he widened his stance as Riku steadily began to press forward, causing Sora's knees to shake with the pressure and weight of the blade forcing itself against him. _I have to get out of this before he crushes me._

Sora stepped away, bouncing nimbly off the balls of his feet, just narrowly missing the cut of Riku's blade, his agile form performing a one-armed back handspring.

Riku smirked, noting that what Sora lacked in brute strength, he certainly compensated for with speed; unfortunately for Sora, that wouldn't be enough to stop him. Riku jumped into the air, his left hand placed palm first, before he twisted his left side to add more power to the swing of his right arm, his blade whipping smoothly through the air, coming down heavily on Sora in a round of rough rhythmic strokes that increasingly beat Sora back, almost falling into the run back.

Riku thrust the point of his blade, slicing through the fabric of Sora's under-armor, plunging through forcefully, not managing to cut, but throwing off his form, and raised his blade for a powerful blow. Sora just barely managed to balance his form in time to catch the tip of Riku's blade, mitigating the blow, but not suppressing it completely as it sliced through Sora's chest, a long stripe of red now carved into his upper torso.

Riku gazed meaningfully into Sora's pained gaze and questioned him mockingly, "Is that the best you can do, _Sora?_"

_Bastard! _ Sora put out of his mind the pain circulating in his chest, the deep cut left forgotten as an angry cry fell from his lips and falling back onto his left hand, he bounced rolling under Riku's left side, turning so he faced Riku's back and catching him by surprise, he slashed his arm out quickly, his sword ripping through the air as Sora felt his blade graze Riku's back and side, unable to fully penetrate the armor of his vest. _Damn._

Riku cursed himself inwardly at having been caught by surprise as he recovered and assessed the jump-turn that Sora executed swiftly to escape his counter slash attack, the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he moved in a quick run towards Sora re-engaging him in another round of quick combos that clanged noisily through the fencing arena.

Riku and Sora were still managing to perform quick thrusts and parries, even though the strain in doing so must have been immense, the agility and endurance necessary to execute such movement incredibly difficult. Sora jump-slashed at Riku while Riku dodged and spun away quickly before countering with a powerful kick to Sora's torso that he obviously hadn't been expecting. Sora fell to one knee.

Sora was struggling more and more to keep his movements even, his breath coming in harsh pants as he wobbled quickly to his feet, where Riku had driven him to his knees for the second time. He could feel sweat sliding down his neck and stinging his eyes as he swung away from another slash from Riku, designed to keep Sora off-balance and he flipped away, this time narrowly missing the thrust, hoping desperately to gain some ground to recover slightly but Riku was relentless in his assault and came at Sora once more.

Riku's reputation was definitely well-earned. Sora had known Riku was good but he had never really thought about what that had meant until now. He could say in all honesty that he had never met anyone who was as quick on their feet as Riku, or as quick-thinking.

It was all Sora could do to defend himself now, and Riku knew it. The older boy could see his opponent's imminent defeat in the weakness of his blows, and the heaviness of his breathing. It was all but over and Riku moved forward, determined to end it now.

Sora's breath was wheezing in his chest, his arm felt heavy and trembled with every collision of his blade with Riku's, his heart pumping so fast and strong he could hear it, like a heavy drumbeat, _ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom_, echoing harshly in his ears.

Sora defended himself on instinct now, and he knew he was on the defensive, that if this kept up, Riku would win. Riku was obviously an endurance fighter, his movements designed to wear out his adversary. In a movement that seemed to emphasize this, Riku suddenly came at Sora in a quick feint to the left which put Sora off-balance before starting a series of thrusts, _one, two, three, four, five, _Sora lost track of the number as his right arm nearly gave out under the pressure, which seemed to increase with every hit of Riku's blade against his own.

Sora was driven one more time to one knee as he struggled to get to his feet, but Riku advanced and their blades crossed, Sora still partly propped on the ground, feeling desperate in his need to rise but knowing that Riku was not going to give him the chance, he could see it in his eyes, see that Riku wanted to end it now.

In a move he knew was going to take the last of his energy, Sora struck at Riku with all of his might, his blade hitting solidly against the other's, gaining just enough ground to somersault backward, and when Riku stepped forward to meet him, Sora switched his sword to his left hand and struck out, his blade hitting the pommel of his opponent's sword and Riku cried out involuntarily as the blade left his hand, flying through the air, blade over hilt, in a sort of slow-motion movement that ended with a clang on the playing field floor.

And then all was silent.

* * *

Zexion stood on the outdoor terrace that was connected to the second story balcony that overlooked the fencing arena. He had abandoned the bleachers down near the piste after the duel and had come up to the balcony which was usually meant to accommodate important administrators and faculty while the terrace provided a place for cigarette breaks and opportunities for social discourse between matches.

Wandering back inside from the terrace and looking down, he saw that the bleacher seats were now empty as the whole of the student body had poured down onto the fencing area after Sora had managed to miraculously disarm Riku. It was peaceful here, the sounds of the students below muted, and he peered outside where the sound of birds chirping was beginning to peter out as the sun's light began to fade and the moist scent of the castle stone drifted in. Here he could find peace away from the sweating mass of people and the excitedly inane chatter of students. He couldn't help a slight twinge of annoyance as he again peered down at the swarm of youthful humanity below. They were all lemmings, where one went the others followed. _Why can't they follow each other off a cliff?_

Sora had managed to beat _Riku._ Riku was to be feared and respected, and he had kept his reputation not only because of his infamous family lineage, but because he was the best. He was intelligent, devious, and ruthless, with the natural athleticism that his father was purported to possess in spades. His father had seemingly passed those traits onto his offspring and this was evident on the dueling field. No one had ever defeated Riku.

The duel had been a close call and the crowd had sweated rings as the fencers sparred, feinted, and hacked at one another in their attempts to break through each others' defenses. The victory could have easily gone to Riku. Zexion himself had thought that Sora was going to lose, and if Sora hadn't been able to switch wield…Zexion smiled bitterly at the memory.

Yes, he was happy that Sora had won, but he had also been surprised, even though he was sure that the feeling was a pale imitation of the surprise that Riku had felt if the look on his face had been anything to go by.

After Sora's abrupt defeat of Riku, the audience had been silent, and no sound had broken the stillness but for the hum of the soda dispensers and the buzz of the lights above the arena. Everyone's eyes were on Riku's keyblade, lying like a forgotten and broken toy on the rubber piste, its blade glinting dully, as if it had somehow sensed its own defeat. No one had moved and even Sora, who was normally a bundle of untamable energy, had been frozen, still half kneeling as he looked up at Riku.

Riku had been the first to move, and he had slowly approached Sora, who just stared up at him, like a deer who had almost been hit by an oncoming vehicle but whose driver had managed to brake just in time, and he had held his hand out to Sora, who had looked at it strangely for a moment, before grasping it and using it to pull himself to his feet. Riku had then leaned down and had whispered something in Sora's ear before striding over to his sword, picking it up and quickly taking leave, his group of lackeys trailing closely behind.

The slam of the arena doors had put an end to the eerie silence, as the crowd had roared in simultaneous amazement and glee, and a new hero had been born. Sora hadn't even seemed to notice the crowd of students that had started to gather around him but instead had worn a tired but satisfied expression, as if some painful weight had been abruptly lifted from him. And as everyone around him gave him congratulatory pats on the back, ruffled his mane of spikes, or put their arms around his shoulders in laudatory acknowledgement, each person had radiated a smugness that spoke of some kind of personal accomplishment, as if they had been the ones fighting the duel, not Sora. Those that didn't wear that particular expression excitedly and loudly claimed to have known all along that Sora would win, that they had supported him one hundred percent. Zexion snorted at the thought.

Sora had made quick use of one of the hi-potions that Tidus had given him and had started making small talk with those around him. The atmosphere of the arena had been stifling, and although Zexion had wanted to wait around for Sora, he hadn't felt comfortable in the closed environment or the by the proximity of so many people. He would have to meet Sora later, preferably after his come-lately supporters had departed.

Zexion wandered back outside onto the terrace, still contemplating Sora's win and the reaction of the crowd but was shaken out of his musings by the voices he heard in the corridor that lead to the balcony.

"Yeah, this is the only place he could be!" Zexion couldn't quite make out the voice. _Was it a lemming?_

"That makes sense. Zexion _is_ a private person." Zexion immediately recognized the voice as Sora's and couldn't help the automatic start of surprise at the thought that Sora was seeking him out.

Zexion then heard a loud crash. _Demyx. It has to be. No one else causes those particular sounds of disaster._

"Oh, was that a flower pot!? My bad! Hee hee!" Zexion immediately came to attention, masking his surprise with his usual indifferent expression.

Demyx then came into view with Sora trailing just behind him.

"I knew we'd find you here, Zexion! Gosh…it was so tough to get through that crowd. Sora was trying to be all polite and stuff about it, but when he noticed that that stupid guy elbowed me and that you, like, disappeared…he immediately grabbed me to come chase after you!"

Sora sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, sorry about that, Demyx. I'm just glad we got out of there. I mean, I'm glad that every body's happy and all but…I wanted to see you guys. Well, most of all I want to thank you. You guys were the first friends I made here and I know what people were saying about me, so it was nice to know that I had some people who believed in me!" Sora finished this with a bright sunny smile at both Demyx and Zexion.

Demyx made quick work of pulling Sora to him and lifting him off his feet into the air in a warm hug.

"H-hey, Demyx!" Sora whined, his face formed into an obviously fake pout belied by the twinkle in his eye as he struggled to pull away from Demyx.

"Awwww! I knew you could do it Sora! It was obvious from the start, and I don't see why people couldn't see it. Why are you thanking me anyway? If you hadn't come along I would probably _still _be getting bullied by Riku…and I also wouldn't have been able to become…" At this Demyx slowly lowered Sora back to the ground and met Zexion's eyes in a penetrating gaze before looking down as he continued. "Uh, I mean, I wouldn't have been able to become friends with either of you, so…yeah" he trailed off, a slight flush on his cheeks.

Zexion felt like a big jerk. He should have waited in the arena. He _had_ hoped Sora would win, and he was shocked at himself at the degree to which he felt that hope, but he had attributed it to the tentative optimism he always seemed to feel in the presence of Sora and he had tried to keep it as he watched Sora battle against his adversary. Nevertheless as the duel had continued and Sora visibly became more and more fatigued, the ephemeral feeling had faded, and he had begun to have doubts and then finally to believe that Sora would lose.

It had seemed to Zexion upon reflection that the duel represented more than it was, that Sora himself embodied the antithesis of the ennui that often plagued him, a _joie de vivre _Zexion had never known. Expect_ the worst and hope for the best_ had never been a motto he had ascribed to, simply because that hope didn't exist for him, had never, not until a spiky-haired brunet, along with an exuberant blond had wormed their way under his skin.

He had met Demyx because of Sora and somehow he knew that he would always be indebted to Sora for that because Demyx had, by some unknown means, engendered in Zexion sensations that he thought he was incapable of feeling. Not only that, but he hadn't believed it possible for him to actually make friends at this school or anywhere else for that matter. However, Sora and Demyx had begun to make him believe differently. He was therefore flooded with shame at his lack of faith in his new friend, although on some level he understood that it would take time before he would be able to fully repudiate and undo a lifetime of pessimism, as much as he wished otherwise.

Sora was honestly one of the nicest and most trusting people he had ever met. He wasn't like the typical hypocrites that Zexion had encountered his whole life, who spouted out values that they could _afford_ to vow belief in only in so long as it suited the comfortable world they lived in.

"Hey—Zexion!" Demyx waved his hand in front of Zexion's face.

"Uh, hey you guys? I have to go. My brother's waiting for me and I kind of left him with Axel. He didn't look too happy about it," Sora said with a grimace.

Zexion couldn't handle it anymore as Demyx embraced Sora in another hug that Sora once again squiggled to be free of.

"Come on De—"

"Demyx, release Sora," Zexion commanded. Demyx let go of him, a slightly bewildered expression on his face as he looked back at Zexion. Zexion again felt like a jerk at the expression of hurt and confusion he had caused to be reflected on Demyx's face but if he had to stand here and watch Demyx embrace Sora one more time…Well, he couldn't be held responsible for his actions. He knew Demyx didn't feel like that about Sora, still—

Zexion shook his irrational thoughts away then made his way over to Sora and he couldn't help the rare smile that came to his face as he looked down at him and said, "We'll see you tomorrow, Sora."

Sora could tell Zexion was trying to give him a chance to escape from the clinging arms of a certain blond and he accepted the gesture gratefully, beaming a quick smile over his shoulder at him, and Zexion acknowledged the gesture with a quick nod.

"Sure, see you guys tomorrow," he said and quickly made his way down the corridor leading to the stairs.

Demyx watched Sora leave with a sigh. No buffer. Now he was alone with Zexion. Maybe if he was fast enough he could…

"Demyx, don't even think about it," Zexion warned, his words coming out in a slight hiss.

Okay then, never mind. Plan A was done for. What about Plan B? Did he have a Plan B? No? Well, he could improvise. That's what genuine artists were good at.

"Uhh…I have to go back to my room too?" Shit. Even he could tell that the wrong punctuation had come out on that one. As if he was asking for permission. He should've been more decisive, more sure of himself. He was never going to get away with that kind of uncertainty around Zexion. And really, was that the best he could come up with? Well, Demyx wasn't going to give up now. How about Plan C? Hmmm, that one might take more thought, though.

Zexion stared at Demyx who was obviously debating something in his mind, and the pensive expression on his face caused Zexion's heart to melt into a puddle of mystery goo as he couldn't help thinking about how cute Demyx was when he was trying to puzzle something out, even if that something in this case was how to escape from him. He sighed inwardly as he stared at Demyx's pursed lips and furrowed brows. The sun was just now starting to set, darkness casting a light array of shadows on Demyx's contemplative form. Was it really that bad being alone with him?

"Demyx, I'm not going to bite." _Well…not unless you want me to. _Shit, he really needed to stop thinking like that_. Patience, _he reminded himself, _he requires lots of patience. I can hold out. I think. Shit._

"We're still friends, right?" This was the safest route to take, to solidify his place in Demyx's life, even if that was through friendship rather than the more lustful and romantic relationship he really wanted. He would get there, by fair means or foul. Hopefully fair though, as he didn't want to alienate Demyx in any way that he could help. He also could see that Demyx was the type to avoid conflict so he would have to approach any issues he might have with Demyx tentatively.

"Of course we're friends!!" Demyx put his hands on his hips as if outraged by the very nature of the question.

"Well then, why are you trying to run away?" Zexion posed the question with a slightly raised brow and a tilt to his head and Demyx's expression narrowed, his face set in a scowl as he responded.

"What?! Where'd you come up with that one? Jeez Zexion, you don't have to be so paranoid…I mean…I totally wasn't trying to run away. He, he, he," chuckled Demyx, trying to finish off his lie in a half-hearted laugh that he hoped was convincing. He was such a terrible liar and Zexion couldn't help calling him on it.

"I don't like liars, Demyx."

Zexion saw the torn look on Demyx's face and almost felt bad, but it had to be done. Demyx was the type who liked to please but if he really wanted to make Zexion happy then he would just have to be straight with him.

Zexion crossed his arms and waited…one…two…thr—

"I'm SORRY! I mean, I was trying to run, but only because you make me all like…and I was a total idiot with you…and then whenever I'm with you…I really suck at this so I was trying to spare you…yes…that's it...self-sacrifice!" he said loudly, gesturing wildly with his hand.

Zexion raised his own right hand in a placating gesture.

"Calm down, Demyx. Now, start by explaining to me why you ran from me earlier today, and why you still want to run, then we'll go from there." Zexion leaned casually against the balcony's stone balustrade, the darkness of twilight casting shadows across his pale visage.

Demyx walked toward Zexion, coming closer in order to lean on the on the cool stone as he fidgeted uncomfortably under Zexion's gaze. _Well, I might as well be honest._

Demyx felt his heart race and his throat close tight as he looked at him. Zexion was always so calm and collected and didn't have a problem articulating his thoughts and Demyx in that moment thought to himself in a brief wave of despair that he was the exact opposite. He tried to order his muddled thoughts into a coherent stream, his mouth opening and closing for a moment before he managed, "Well…" He paused and looked at Zexion for reassurance.

"Well?" Zexion prodded, his eyes staring piercingly into Demyx's own.

Demyx didn't know what to say. His throat had clogged up, and to be honest being around Zexion was making him sweat. It was cool outside, so why was he so uncomfortable? His stomach was acting strangely too. Was he getting sick?

"I don't know what I'm doing, and you're a guy. Guys…are different from girls, and I don't know what it means to be in any kind of relationship, much less one with a guy. Yeah, I've imagined what it would be like but I've never actually really considered it as a possibility. It was like an unattainable dream. _You _were like an unattainable dream and now…now it's here…_you're_ here," Demyx gestured towards Zexion, "…right in front of me, and I don't know what to do." Demyx averted his face downward, his shoulder slumping against the stone at his back. "Zexion, tell me what to do."

_Was that an invitation?_ Zexion inwardly shook his head at the thought. He didn't want to take advantage of Demyx, he wanted to protect him. He didn't want to decide _for_ Demyx.

"I can't decide for you Demyx. I like you for who you are, not because you're male. Then again, I've never really cared much for what's considered socially 'normal'. I know that you're somewhat indecisive by nature and that it may be tempting for you to let others make important decisions for you, because you're scared of making the 'wrong' choice. Your entire existence is reflected through those choices."

Zexion came closer, lifting his hand to raise Demyx's chin so that he was forced to meet his eyes. "You are unsure of me and of the situation. I can understand that kind of thinking more than anyone, but at the same time, you realize what this means, don't you, Demyx?"

Demyx could barely focus as he stared into Zexion's sharply penetrating gaze. No one had ever looked at him this closely. It made him feel warm, special, and unnerved all at once.

Zexion could see Demyx's focus was wavering, so he answered for him.

"What this means, is that we will have to spend more time with one another." Zexion lifted his hand so his thumb rested lightly across his lips. "In fact, we could start this weekend. Your insecurity is based on the fact that you're uncertain that the benefits outweigh the risks. I know that you're attracted to me, and that you somehow believe that I'm 'nice' and that's a start. But of course, that's only if you want to. It is ultimately your choice. It has to be." He closed his eyes tightly for a moment before opening them again, peering into Demyx's eyes and then continued, "You have no idea how tempting it is to take you up on your offer, to make the choice for you. I want you. I'm not going to prevaricate about that and I thought that I would do anything to have you, but…but I want you to want me, too. To want me as much as I want you. So, the choice is yours, Demyx."

Demyx stared at Zexion. It didn't seem like a choice, but Demyx sensed that it was. Zexion was, underneath the cool and collected exterior, a gentle person. He would never force him into something that he really didn't want. Demyx felt safe at the thought and his body relaxed into the cool stone behind him. What did he really have to lose anyway? Images flashed before his eyes, most of them of his family. _Mom, Dad, Larxene?_ Demyx inwardly shook his head to wave away the unwanted thoughts. He didn't want to think about them, especially when Zexion was standing before him, waiting patiently for an answer. The problem was that he wasn't good at making on-the-spot decisions.

"I can't promise to be any good…at this…but I'll try. I really do like you, Zexion. Everything you said about me was right, and as sad as that is, I don't mind it." Demyx tried to form what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He really did like Zexion, more than liked, he could at least acknowledge that much, or else he wouldn't be agonizing this much, would he? And he hadn't ever felt this way before, or at least never to this extent, and never with a boy. Demyx shook his head. Zexion was right. _That shouldn't matter._ Why should he squash these feelings? They _weren't_ unnatural.

Zexion hadn't been sure about how Demyx would take his personal analysis and breathed an inner sigh of relief that he hadn't been offended. The cool air really did feel nice on his skin, especially with the flush of heat in his body that seemed to be perpetual in the presence of Demyx.

"I'm glad." Zexion raised his hand to brush along the side of Demyx's face. The feel of his soft, cool cheek against the palm of his hand felt good but he had to pull himself back. He didn't want to scare Demyx the way he had earlier, but how long could he wait?

"So, I'll see you tomorrow, Demyx." _ I am not a patient person but I am going to try. Hard. _

And with that thought, Zexion stepped away from Demyx, taking his hand from beneath Demyx's chin and turned to make his way off the terrace into the corridor.

Demyx's eyes followed Zexion's retreating form until it was gone. He felt like he had missed something important, but what? Demyx shook his head as he stared out at the ever-darkening sky.

* * *

_I have a lot to think about. Please…please, don't let me screw this up._

Riku lay upon his bed staring blankly up at the small shadowed grooves of the ceiling.

"Damn." He muttered to himself as he silently shook with frustration. The feelings of sensations at his own loss of control were beginning to settle as he absentmindedly thought to himself that things had certainly not gone as planned. A breeze from an open window slowly crept along his skin and somehow the feeling reminded him of how very alone he was. Normally such a feeling would not have fazed him but in the last week he had begun to hate it, to hate the need to have another person beside him. But not just anybody.

_Sora._ He silently mouthed the word, knowing that to vocalize the name would only cause his failure to become more palpable. Sora had defeated him in every way and now anger, resentment, desire, and even more indefinable feelings tangled together in an unseemly mess that caused his stomach to ache and lines to appear between his brows in a constant scowl.

_Sora_. He wanted him even now, even after his humiliation, and somehow, what had started as a familiar throbbing in his lower stomach and groin, the recognizable feelings of lust, had turned into a gnawing ache in the pit of his stomach, an unsteady heartbeat in which the organ seemed to constantly jump to his throat at the least provocation, and an uneasiness coupled with the passing thought that these sensations would not go away even if he managed to claim the object of his desire. Riku didn't care to analyze his feelings and had never, in fact, been the type of boy to lie around alone in his room examining the deeper meaning of what lay behind his emotions, but lately such musings were becoming more and more commonplace and such analysis made him feel connected to Sora. _Pathetic._ The thought whispered in his mind and he couldn't help the inward flinch as the word echoed across his mind.

He wondered to himself how he should now approach the younger boy, having finally realized that Sora was not going to be just another lay, that he was _special,_ no matter how uncomfortable he was with the thought of it. Of course, he should have known that only someone of exceptional quality would be able to evoke such feeling within him and realized the extent to which he had underestimated Sora and his strength of will. His mistakes when it came to the younger boy were multiplying with every day that passed, each one causing him to doubt himself while driving a deeper wedge between himself and Sora. He was through with it. If he was going to win Sora over, he had to stop underestimating him and that meant a change in game-plan.

He would have to befriend Sora, to get close enough to him to be trusted. _There has never been a good war or a bad peace _he remembered his father had once said to him. He would have to end this war between him and Sora, get beneath his defenses, and then, well, he could be patient enough, and there would be plenty of opportunities.

The weight on his chest began to lift at the new strategy and he smiled into the darkness, turned over on his side, and slowly began to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

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	6. Led Astray

Squall knew it was only another dream, another nightmare, but he couldn't stop it from continuing, nor could he stop his internal screams. _Wake up! Wake up! Oh God, please, wake up! NO! I can't go through this again_! _I can't…_his thoughts trailed off in despair even as his body tossed and turned. He was sticky with sweat, hands clenching tightly in wet sheets, face twisting into a grimace as he struggled to suppress it. But it came anyway, like a freight train from which he had no time to escape, his shoelaces caught in the rusty metal of the tracks, tripping him, and as the train came barreling toward him he knew that in some sick part of his mind he wanted this, wanted…no, _craved _this nightmare, because it was the only way that he would ever have to see any of them again, alive, and healthy, and still _his_.

_Squall was transported back to his home, held as a captive audience in a time when he still went by the name of his birth, not Leon Leonhart of Radiant Garden, but Squall Loire of Winhill, son of Raine and Laguna, brother of Ellone, and boyfriend of Rinoa Carroway. His room was just down the hall from his older sister's, his parent's room across the hall. His father had finally come home from his most recent escapade as a traveling news correspondent for the news magazine, __Timber Maniacs__._ _He had promised Raine that he would be home for Christmas this year (and he had miraculously kept that promise), unlike many other occasions and holidays, for which he had been out on assignment. His sister too had decided to come home for the winter break, despite an offer from her friends at the University to go with them to see Christmas Town. _

"_Besides, how else am I going to be able to spend time with my favorite brother?" his adopted sister had asked._

_Squall had rolled his eyes at the cheesiness of it and replied acerbically, "I'm your __**only**__ brother."_

"_Exactly." And her smile had been so bright that Squall hadn't had the heart to roll his eyes again, even though he was sorely tempted. They were in Squall's room, which was sparse, except for a desk and chair placed in front of the wide wrap-around window, a bookcase that housed a large set of books placed in alphabetical order by genre, and the massive bed that was his only testament to luxury. Ellone always made fun of Squall for his Spartan preferences and Squall always retorted that it was better than her cluttered, messy excuse for a room that he kindly referred to as the 'pig-sty'. _

_Despite this, whenever Ellone was home and not flittering about, she could, more often than not, be found in her brother's room, telling Squall about her adventures at the University or prompting Squall to talk about his own. On that note, Ellone was sprawled across Squall's bed on her stomach, her elbows propped on the bed and chin in her hands as she looked over at her brother who was seated at the desk chair._

"_So, how's school?" she had asked. _

_The thought of school caused his face to fall into a blank mask, unknowingly confirming to Ellone that everything was not right at Radiant Garden Academy for her brother, despite his muttered, "Fine."_

"_Hmmm. Still having difficulty with Seifer?"_

_At the question, Squall couldn't prevent a scowl from forming on his face and he mumbled, "Whatever," the response causing Ellone to giggle behind her hand. She never took Squall seriously, even in his more annoyed moments. Squall had his annoyed moments quite a bit, especially around their father whom Squall had dubbed "that idiot". _

_Squall resented Laguna for his chosen profession, which kept him away from home for long periods of time. It was their mother, Raine, who suffered. He didn't like the red eyes she tried to hide with cold compresses in the morning, her worried frowns over weather reports, or her anxious glances at the phone and the obsessive checking of her email. His own worry had escalated once he had left to attend the Academy and she was truly alone in their house in Winhill with not even Squall for company._

"_Is Rinoa coming over?" Ellone asked, breaking Squall out of his reverie._

"_Yes. Her entire family is coming over. Mother's cooking dinner for them." _

_His last statement was accompanied by a crash and a muffled curse from the kitchen downstairs, causing both he and his sister to wince. Raine, while an adequate cook, was not an accomplished one, and she had become increasingly stressed over the idea of serving dinner to Rinoa's parents. Squall couldn't tell if she was stressed because both Rinoa's parents were famous (her father was a well-known General in the Galbadian Army and her mother a renowned singer and musician) or just because they were the parents of her son's first girlfriend and she wanted to make a good impression. Maybe both, which might explain the __**level**__ of stress._

"_I…think I'll try to go help Raine," Ellone said with a grimace and a roll of her eyes as she stood up giving a brief wave over her shoulder as she left._

_Squall shook his head and went into the adjoining bathroom to take a shower before Rinoa arrived with her parents. He undressed quickly before stepping into the spray, and as he did, his thoughts drifted back to Rinoa. He couldn't keep from smiling as he thought about her, nor could he still the butterflies that made his stomach always feel slightly unsettled, compounded by the erratic beating of his heart. His reactions hadn't changed from the first time he had seen her, standing across a crowded ballroom, like some stupid fairy tale, except in their case it appeared that Rinoa had been__** his**__ prince rather than the other way around. Lord knows, he hadn't given her an easy time of it. _

_Back then she had belonged to Seifer and he had wanted nothing to do with her, physical reactions aside. But she hadn't given up and he had given in, despite their almost constant bickering and the continual desire he felt to pull his hair out in frustration. Of course it was now just that much harder for him at school, Squall reflected as he turned the water off, stepping out and toweling himself dry. Seifer hadn't been able to let it go, not so much of Rinoa herself (as she had described it, a summer flirtation with no spoken promises hardly equated to a relationship), but the idea that Squall had bested him had combined with Seifer's already competitive nature to make Seifer's behavior toward him increasingly hostile and an already challenging year that much more difficult._

_It didn't help that his nemesis was friends with Riku, Squall's suite-mate, and was therefore constantly hanging around his dorm area causing him to be in closer proximity than he would've liked. He had been dating Rinoa for six months and tension between them had increased daily until finally the last day before Christmas Break they had clashed in a fight that had left the both of them with mirror-image scars running diagonally across their faces. Squall had ended up in the infirmary with a warning from the Headmaster to find a way to get along with Seifer or to find a new school. He was hoping that Seifer would cool down in their two weeks away from each other although his expectations of such a thing occurring weren't particularly high._

_He wiped off the steamed-up mirror with the palm of his hand in brisk circular motions and as he looked at his reflection..._

_**SKIP**_

_They were at dinner sitting at the long table with Rinoa seated to his right and his mother on his left. Rinoa was talking with Ellone who was seated across from her, his mother deep in conversation with Julia, Rinoa's mother, and Laguna talking to the General about his latest trip to Deling City, his gestures wide and animated. Squall watched it all with observant eyes, neither interrupting nor participating; merely enjoying a peaceful moment that he knew would end too soon. Rinoa suddenly nudged him with her elbow and he turned to look at her. Her face broke into a smile at his glance and Squall couldn't stop himself from returning it. A slight frown appeared moments later as she looked at his new scar before she shook her head and the smile reappeared._

"_I like it," she suddenly whispered._

"_What?" he asked, his expression puzzled._

"_The scar. It makes you look…more masculine. You were much too pretty before."_

_Squall scowled at that and she laughed lightly before reaching out and squeezing his hand under the table. He looked across the table at Ellone who grinned and winked at him. He shook his head. He was __**surrounded**__. But despite the thought he ducked his head to hide his smile._

_**SKIP**_

_He was sleeping in his bed, turning restlessly, having vague dreams of a fiery cavern, rocks and sediment glowing red and cast in shadow. A monster lay in wait for him, eyes fiery, and hair a bright orange flame._

"_Who are you?" Squall whispered to the creature._

"_They call me Ifrit," he replied, his voice more growl than actual human speech._

"_Why are you here?"_

"_Fire," the creature responded. _

"_What?"_

"_Wake up, Squall. Fire." Flames shot from the creature's body, engulfing Squall and causing him to cry out. He awoke suddenly to the heavy and encompassing smell of smoke, his lungs were seizing up and eyes tearing as he struggled to blink them away and to breathe in short pants. He recovered quickly from his disorientation and swung his legs from the bed. The carpet beneath his feet was warm, much too warm, and smoke wafted through the cracks in the door in visible clouds. The window reflected the same red glow as the cavern of his dreams._

_Fuck._

_He shot over to the door, reaching out to the door handle, but it burned his hand, and he quickly snatched it back in shock and startled pain. He could hear the fire now, crackling and snapping all around him. He had to get out. He had to reach Rinoa and Ellone. He grabbed a blanket from the bed, ripping it in his haste and wrapped it around the door handle, turning it and pulling the door open. He expected to see the hallway but was met with a wall of flame that shot at him in an explosive wave that caused him to stumble backward. He fell to the floor before hastily picking himself up. He couldn't move forward, the fire was now inside the room with him and he moved backward until he found himself pressed back into the glass of his window. _

_The flames were eating the carpet, the manuscripts on the bookcase causing the wall to disintegrate into a mass of sparks and heat. He looked around desperate for some escape and realized that the only exit was behind him in the form of the large wrap-around window. He managed to grasp the blanket before the edges caught fire although the flames were licking at his feet now, and his breath was coming in wheezing gasps and hacks, his eyes tearing madly. He wrapped the blanket around his head and shoulders and made a running leap toward the window. The window shattered as his body hurled through it and then…_

"Leon! Leon, wake up!" a voice shouted in his ear.

Squall stopped thrashing, looking around in confusion and blinking tears from his eyes as he turned to see what had woken him. He looked around expecting to see long red tongues of flame but was met by the sight of a hovering shadow.

"Leon, it's okay. It's all okay. You're here, you're fine." He recognized the voice of Riku before looking up to meet the other's green eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Squall asked in a hoarse whisper, looking around at the darkness of his room.

"I could hear you crying out from across the hall," Riku whispered back, helping him into a sitting position. The sheets were damp and tangled from the tossing and turning and Squall's breath was shaky, his body still trembling. He buried his head into his hands, trying to steady his breathing and still the erratic pounding of his heart and Riku didn't say anything but was silent until he was able to compose himself. Riku's hand was warm and comforting on Squall's shoulder and he squeezed it lightly before removing his hand and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"That was a bad one, huh?" Riku asked rhetorically. Or at least Squall assumed it was rhetorical since the answer was obvious.

"You okay now?" he asked.

Squall's mind cleared a little further at the question and his lips twisted wryly.

"Just peachy," he replied and Riku gave him a penetrating stare before he glanced away.

They sat in silence for a few minutes and Squall's heartbeat finally returned to normal, his body finally managing to cease its quivering.

"What time is it?" he inquired to Riku.

"A little after three," the silver-haired upperclassman responded and Squall grimaced at the answer.

"Three hours sleep. That's not so bad, I guess."

"You mean considering you usually get none?" Riku asked acerbically.

"Exactly. It's all relative."

Riku shook his head at the answer but didn't say anything more.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asked, his eyes once again meeting Squall's in a penetrating way.

Squall shifted uncomfortably for a minute. It wouldn't be the first time that Riku had stayed with him until dawn broke; usually curling up in the desk chair or sleeping on Squall's floor. Squall had never requested that Riku stay but the other boy had always taken it upon himself to keep him company through the long nights when the nightmares were the worst. This time, for some unknown reason to Squall, he felt uneasy with Riku's presence.

"No. I think I'm just going to read for awhile."

Riku didn't argue but instead shrugged and stood up, moving toward the door silently before turning back to face Squall.

"Call if you need anything."

Squall shook his head at the offer but smiled slightly and muttered, "Thanks, Riku."

Riku nodded and closed the door behind him quietly and Squall leaned over to turn on the desk lamp causing the room to brighten suddenly and cast away the last shadows of the nightmare. The room was silent except for the ticking clock on his wall and he fidgeted uncomfortably, shivering slightly as the remaining sweat on his body began to dry and the damp sheets absorbed the remaining moisture. He got up from the bed and walked over to the bureau to change into dry pajama bottoms and then reached down to strip the sheets off the bed. He wondered why he no longer felt the same sense of comfort in Riku's presence that he had felt before, but at the internally posed question a pair of bright blue eyes suddenly appeared in his mind, accompanied by a blinding smile, and a spiky mane of chocolate hair.

_Sora._

* * *

Sora was pacing in front of the door while Roxas straddled the chair situated in front of Sora's desk. Despite himself Roxas was impressed with Sora's setup. It was cool that Sora was able to have his own room along with a suite living area, unlike his own school, where each student shared a room with someone else. Of course it had probably been better for his social life that he had been forced to share a room with another student or else he might've been likely to hole up in his room and never come out.

On that note, it had been the plan for today that he was to meet up with Hayner, Pence, and Olette at the beach just outside of T-town. Unfortunately they were having a bit of trouble deciding how to smuggle his brother out of the castle (Sora, of course, insisted upon coming, despite the overwhelming odds that both of them would get caught). This brought him back to the current situation in which Sora was restlessly pacing in front of his door, his hands folded behind his head in the familiar gesture that brought a grudging smile of nostalgia to Roxas's lips, even as Sora made another sound of frustration.

The dorm leaders were strict about upholding rules, especially those regarding students leaving the castle, except on chosen weekends, and even those were allowed only for upperclassmen. From what Zexion had told Sora, those who tried to leave the castle without permission experienced a heavy loss of privileges and possibly even expulsion. He had already suggested things like laxatives and tying bed sheets together but apparently Roxas wasn't enthusiastic about doing anything that might be hazardous to their health (it wasn't _that _far down).

"But I _wanna _go!" He whined at Roxas, his mouth turned into a pout as he flopped down onto his bed.

Roxas turned to face his brother in the chair, contemplating the problem. He had spent the night at the castle after Sora had managed to obtain a visitor's overnight pass from administration. Apparently because access to the castle from the city was limited it wasn't unusual for visiting family members to overnight occasionally. It had been like old times, Sora babbling about all of the people that he had met and even mentioning someone that he had bamboozled into giving him tutoring lessons. Why Sora had blushed when talking about _math,_ Roxas didn't know, although there was no mistaking the pink glow on Sora's face, which Roxas had chalked up to the overall excitement of the moment. This came with the added thrill of Sora's win over Riku and Roxas's chuckling glee over receiving his share of the winnings from a fuming and sneering Seifer.

Sora rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, his mind drifting over the last week. Now that he and Riku had fought out all of their negative tension, he felt freer and more like himself than he had since before he had arrived at the Academy, more so even, because his brother was there with him and there was nothing left to be upset about. Well, that wasn't entirely true since he was still worried about Kairi. He had tried calling her numerous times as well as sending her multiple emails, all to no avail because she still hadn't returned any of them.

He was both eager and apprehensive to discover the reason for her quiet and sudden departure from the castle. It had to have been something serious for her to have left him without a word the way that she had. However, he knew that Roxas was correct in his evaluation of Kairi's aptitude in landing on her feet. She was smart, and brave, and knew the city of Radiant Garden like the back of her hand, having grown up there, which meant that he didn't have as many worries about her safety as he normally would have. _Still…_

"Rox, I _really _need a sabbatical and you're not helping! This has been the longest almost-week of my life, and you're not being supportive! Come on, help me out here!"

Roxas turned to look into the face that was identical to his in almost every way, and realized immediately that it was a mistake. He knew that Sora was prone to being dramatic, nevertheless his brother looked worn-out and tired, and in spite of himself Roxas felt his heart squeeze in sympathy.

"I _am_ trying to help. I'm not sure about the rules here, but I don't want you to end up expelled. That means we have to find a _workable_ plan, not some cockamamie crap likely to get us maimed, killed, put in jail, or with you getting your ass kicked out of school."

Sora scowled at that but didn't argue about Roxas's assessment of the situation.

Roxas continued his contemplation of their circumstances, biting his lip as he thought over the problem. The atmosphere of the castle was suffocating, at least to his mind, as it seemed that all the students in the castle were hovering around Sora because of his recent victory in the duel. Still, it was enough to cause Roxas to make irritated growling noises in his throat each time someone banged on his brother's door.

He wanted to help and would do _anything_ if it meant seeing his brother smile like he had _before_ coming to the school. He had _known_ that this academy would mean nothing but trouble, and if he hadn't known what this chance meant to Sora, he would've suggested to his brother that he return to Destiny Islands, where people _genuinely _liked and supported him. Roxas's hands tightened into fists once again and his scowl deepened further.

_Damn that Riku._ He still didn't know what the terms of the duel had been, and Sora refused to tell him, would in fact blush and avoid his gaze whenever the subject was brought up. He had tried asking Axel about it, but he had only received a smirk and a whispered, "What are you going to give me if I tell you?" _Forget __**that**__ idea! _

Roxas prided himself on the fact that he was not a violent person, but he had wanted to punch Riku the first time that he laid eyes on him. Axel caused similar feelings to boil to the surface (along with the desire to put a muzzle on him) and so he had planned on avoiding the both of them completely.

Sora buried his face into his pillow and groaned. "Can't you just pack me in a suitcase or something?"

Although Sora loathed admitting it, he was definitely small enough to fit. His eyes brightened as he was suddenly hit with another brilliant idea.

"I could try asking Zexion if he knows a good place to…" Sora shook his suddenly before mumbling, "No, he'll probably go into a long monologue about 'common sense' and how I don't have any."

He paused a moment with his hand placed beneath his chin in a rare moment of obvious thought before his eyes fell upon his younger brother. "How about asking Axel? I don't know him that well, but he seemed to like you, Roxas. You guys looked really buddy-buddy yesterday."

_Buddy-buddy? _Sora _had _to be kidding. The only thing Roxas wanted Axel to be buddy-buddy with was his fist. He glowered as he thought about how the other boy had hung all over him the day before. _What was his problem, anyway_?

He grimaced as he felt his gut twist in apprehension at the thought of approaching him. He understood what his brother was trying to say. Axel knew his way around the school, and obviously knew how to sneak out of the castle if his presence in the city the day prior had been any indication. He had, in fact, bragged to Roxas in smug detail about his "knowledge," and claimed that if he ever needed a helping hand he knew who to call. Roxas had shrugged it off with a disgusted snort that spoke his feelings more than words could have. However, he knew that Sora was right. If they were going to make it out of the castle they were going to need help…

He could sacrifice. Just one day. _I can do this._

Roxas smiled at Sora and shrugged his shoulders, trying to convey a reassurance that he himself didn't feel. "Sure, why not?" _How bad could it be?_

* * *

It couldn't really be considered stalking. He was just passing by Sora's door. For the 10th time. Nope, nothing stalker-like about that. He just wanted to make sure Sora slept okay and that Roxas was comfortable because…_sleeping on Sora's floor must've been uncomfortable…Roxas…sleeping in the nude… naked…apricot skin bare and smooth to the touch…No, Roxas would never sleep naked, he seems much too conservative to do something like that, but maybe shirtless? That's possible, right?_ Axel shook his head at the thought. _Shit._

He was obviously going _insane._ It was the only explanation for why he couldn't get the blonde out of his head. He had known when he had met Roxas, could tell from the skeptical and suspicious look he had given Axel at their first meeting, that he was going to be a challenge.

Still, if Axel had to guess at Roxas's reaction to his overtures, distaste if not disgust, would've been the word he would use to describe it. It didn't make any sense. After all, it wasn't like Axel smelled bad or anything. Axel discreetly stuck his nose into his armpit to check just in case.

_Nope, Axe deodorant, and well, maybe a little cigarette smoke. But that's no big deal, right?_ Axel frowned at the idea of having to give up smoking to get into Roxas's pants. _That would just suck. I don't care how hot he is I'm not going to give up smoking. _Axel pulled out his pack of cigarettes and counted the number he had left. _Four more. Hmmm, well maybe after I'm done with this pack I can go on the patch. I'll probably need six or seven of 'em just to get my fix but…SHIT.  
_

He stopped pacing in front of Sora's door to throw down the pack of cigarettes, crushing them with his boot heel in frustrated anger while his hands went up to tangle in his spikes, pulling hard on the thick strands. Then he froze in horror as he realized what he had done. He had just destroyed his cigarettes. His last pack. In front of Sora's door… and if Roxas found them…well then he'd know Axel was stalking him. NO! Stalking wasn't the right word, he was…he was just…_Damn it!_

He bent down to pick up the demolished cigarettes, whipping the smashed pack open to see if any of them were still intact. He was so involved in his study of the mangled cigarettes that he didn't hear the opening of the door next to him.

"What the _hell_ are _you _doing here?" a harsh voice said from over Axel's crouched form.

The redhead's eyes closed tightly shut for a moment before he opened them again and looked up at the looming form of Roxas. _This can't be happening._

"Uh, hi," he said, scooping up the pack of cigarettes and shoving them hastily into his pocket. "I, uh, was just passing by here and I, uh, dropped something."

Roxas's eyes narrowed in suspicion but he remained silent and Axel fidgeted nervously under the stare. _What am I DOING? This isn't like me! I'm cool…collected…_

He made an effort to relax and gave the blond his usual confident smirk.

"So, how's it goin', Blondie?"

Roxas's mouth tightened at the nickname and his hands clenched into fists. For a moment Axel was sure Roxas was going to punch him and he eyed the fists nervously but the blonde's hands suddenly relaxed and Axel's smirk reappeared.

"So, what're you up to today? Got any plans?"

Roxas's brow furrowed and his mouth twitched. He didn't say anything for a moment and Axel shot him a puzzled frown before he said, "Cat got you tongue?"

Roxas blushed as he remembered the comparison he had made in his mind of Axel to the black cat that ate all of the chocobos. He fidgeted slightly before he finally blurted, "We need your help."

The redhead's brows rose at that and he crossed his arms over his chest. "Help? With what?"

The blond mirrored Axel's pose, bringing up his arms to cross over his chest, but his posture was defensive rather than casual and he looked away before speaking again. "With smuggling Sora out of the castle."

Axel 's smirk widened and he chuckled lightly. "Sora, huh? Why doesn't it surprise me that Sora would be sneaking out of the castle?"

Roxas's expression softened at that and he couldn't help a reluctant laugh from escaping. "Yeah well, Sora's not exactly good at following rules. You'd have to be an idiot not to figure that out, especially if this last week is anything to go by."

"Exactly. A guy after my own heart, that's your bro," Axel replied.

Roxas rolled his eyes and leaned his right shoulder into the door frame. "And here I was hoping Sora would find someone who would be a _good_ influence on him."

Axel smiled and placed a hand above the blond's head on the door frame.

"I'm _good_ at a lot of things."

Roxas's smile fled away as suddenly as it had appeared and a scowl reappeared in its place. "The only thing I care about is that you're _good_ at getting Sora out of the castle undetected."

_Was it something I said?_ Axel removed his hand from above the blonde and took a step back but he couldn't help smiling as he asked, "What're you going to give me for it?"

"It?" Roxas's brow was furrowed in confusion and rosy color began to pour into his cheeks at Axel's deliberate word choice.

The redhead's voice was soft and slightly seductive when he replied, "Yeah. It. You know, my help? Nothing's free, not even for you, Cutie." _Most especially not for you._

The blond's face flushed further and his fists clenched tightly, his mouth opening in what was apparently the beginning of a tirade when Sora appeared behind him.

"Hey Axel! We were just talking about you!" Sora said brightly pushing Roxas slightly to the side so he could get a better view of the upperclassman.

"Were you now?" he asked, flicking Roxas a lazy glance that did nothing to cool the blond's blush.

"It wasn't like that!" Roxas snapped, his temper igniting at the redhead's manner.

"Wasn't like what, Roxy?" Axel asked with a sultry smile.

Roxas stepped forward, his body tensing and his fists clenching so hard that his knuckles turned white. Sora stepped in front of him halting his progress as he spoke to Axel.

"Actually, we were wondering whether you could get us out of the castle. Roxas told me that you know how to get out of here without anyone finding out about it," Sora said, his eyes moving from his younger brother's still tense form to Axel's casually relaxed pose. He couldn't help shooting a concerned glance at Roxas.

"Yeah, Blondie and I were just negotiating that," Axel said with a smirk.

"N-negotiating?" Sora's voice was slightly hesitant and edged with worry. The last time _he_ had negotiated with someone he had ended up having to duel someone over his best friend's honor with his virginity at stake. He glanced again at his brother.

"Yeah. Negotiate. Don't worry, the terms aren't that…stiff," Axel said, the cat-who-ate-the-chocobo expression widening further.

Roxas's face was now tomato red and his teeth were clenched hard enough that a visible pulse beat at his temple.

"What do you want?" Roxas growled.

"Weeell, what I want is…" he trailed off deliberately and Sora's eyes widened while Roxas's eyes narrowed.

"What?" the blond gritted out impatiently.

"I want to come," the redhead said.

"Come?" Roxas asked confused. Axel leered and the blond scowled and asked, "Come where?"

"I want to come with you."

"No!" "Okay!" the brothers both exclaimed at the same time. Roxas turned to Sora and glared and the brunet returned the glower with a pleading expression. The blond's shoulders tensed at the look before they slumped in resignation and the scowl returned as he looked up at the tall redhead slouched in front of them.

"Fine," he snapped his voice, harsh and slightly unsteady. "But don't…try to…Fuck! Try to act normal, would you?"

"Whatever you say, Sweet Cheeks." Axel glowed in satisfaction while Roxas continued to glower and Sora looked quizzically at both of them. The brunet broke the tense silence as he said with false cheer, "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Axel bowed mockingly and grinned then said, "Follow me." He began to saunter away and Sora nudged Roxas in the arm to get him moving until he reluctantly stepped in front of him to follow the redhead. _What else can go wrong?_

* * *

Sora put one more shirt into his black Disney beach bag, a picture of his favorite characters, Donald and Goofy emblazoned on the side. He was packing some last minute items that might be potentially useful for their adventure, while Roxas and Axel waited for him down below. Sora smiled in recollection as he remembered Axel saying something about giving Roxas a "mini" tour.

"Well, that should be all of it." Sora said as he shoved the last of it into the bag. Roxas had said to only bring things of importance because they didn't want to get caught looking too conspicuous. Sora scowled as he remembered Roxas's look and the insulting way he had of saying things that implied that he thought Sora lacked common sense. He looked down at the overstuffed bag, bulging with snacks, beach towels, sunscreen, candy… _Crap, maybe I don't need this much, _reluctantly beginning to pull out his stash of candy.

"What's all the junk for?" Sora quickly spun around as he heard the familiarly mocking voice behind him. Piercing aquamarine eyes met his in a penetrating stare. He couldn't help but groan internally as he realized who it was. _Riku._ Had he left the door open? Shit, if his brother had been here he would've berated Sora for being so scatterbrained and then would've punched Riku for entering Sora's room without his permission. Where _was_ Roxas when you needed him?

Riku stood with his arms crossed, languidly leaning back against the dorm wall. Riku usually tended to dominate the atmosphere with his presence, but Sora was relieved to see that he appeared relaxed rather than tense and about to pounce, which was his usual state around Sora.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm not here to fight. I just wanted to talk. Or better yet, I'll talk and you listen." Riku gave Sora a challenging smirk. "Or is that asking too much?"

_Is he serious? _Sora put his head to the side, pondering the question for a moment. It sounded reasonable, and it wasn't like Riku hadn't always been entirely honest with him. His bluntness was something that he would normally respect if it hadn't been for the manner in which Riku always used it, namely to issue threats and come ons. Sora was only slightly apprehensive as he nodded his head for Riku to continue.

"I want to call a truce." Riku paused a moment before continuing. "Seeing you out there yesterday changed my mind about a lot of things. In the future we'll be on the same fencing team so there's no point in us being at odds with one another. I figure that it'll be best if we work together. Hopefully you see it the same way." He straightened and backed away, eyes for once serious as he stared at Sora before moving briskly to the door. "Well, that's all I wanted to say."

This was such a turnaround from Riku's normal behavior around Sora that he couldn't help but feel slightly wary. He hadn't found Riku's last whispered words after he had won the duel the slightest bit reassuring but he also knew the idea of a truce made sense. Moreover, he had never been comfortable with the discord between them, and he was all for ending the war of wills.

"O-k-ay." Riku smiled at Sora, not his usual smirk, but a genuine expression of happiness.

Sora felt immediately relieved and his own smile widened. His eyes were bright with optimism as he asked, "Don't we shake hands on this or something?" _It's a truce, right?_

Their eyes met as they simultaneously reached out to shake each other's hand. He was stunned at how intimate the simple act of a handshake suddenly seemed to be as the contact between their hands finally ended, Sora trying not to draw his hand away too quickly and to give away his sudden uneasiness. Riku's touch seemed to linger for an instant until all that was left was the electric tingling warmth where Riku's palm and fingers had met his own. Sora shook his head a little, rubbing at his hand in order to remove the sensation_. Weird._

"So, what's the bag for? Nice, by the way," Riku said as he looked down at the bag, "I always preferred Mickey Mouse myself, Donald was always a bit too annoying for my taste." Sora looked over at him and couldn't prevent a scowl as he clutched the bag to his chest.

"Going somewhere?" Riku peered at the contents of the bag. "Sun-block and beach towels, huh?" Sora pouted, quickly maneuvering the bag away from Riku's line of sight.

"Yeah, Roxas and I were going to, um, go out and do something, and well, Axel kind of decided to join us, or…we sort of invited him, I guess…" Sora scratched the back of his head giving a smile that he hoped came off as natural.

"Go out and do something? And what would that something be exactly? You do realize what the repercussions for leaving campus are, right?" Riku crossed his arms and gave Sora a dubious look. "That bag is a pretty telling sign that you plan on leaving. You could try to be a little less conspicuous Sora, geez." Riku smirked as he heard the indignant huff that puffed its way out of Sora's chest.

Sora put his hands on his hips and bent down to look up at Riku through his bangs as he said, "What business is it of yours what I do, anyway? And I know what I'm doing. Axel is helping us."

Riku waved his hand. "So you really are planning on leaving campus then?" The other's frowning blush was all the confirmation that Riku needed.

Sora didn't really know how to get out of the pickle he'd gotten himself in, and sighed to himself forlornly. An idea quickly began forming in his head as he thought that maybe he could use their newfound truce to persuade Riku to his cause or, at the very least, to ignore what Sora and Axel intended to do. However, before he could say anything Riku cut him off.

"There is a very simple solution to this problem, Sora." Riku picked up one of the towels off the floor where it had slipped from the bag in Sora's haste to hide it. He then smirked deviously and Sora's heart sank at the familiar expression. The smirk lifted the corners of Riku's mouth and caused his eyes to flash emerald as he said, "I'm going with you."

Sora struggled not to gape and Riku's smirk widened.

_Gotcha, _Riku thought.

* * *

They were being lead through an underground passageway, Axel in the forefront, their echoing footsteps pervading the cool air seeping through the chilled stone of the tunneling corridor. Roxas shivered as another unfriendly breeze passed over his exposed skin, and sighed inwardly as he recognized that glaring at the silver-haired boy walking beside him wasn't a sufficient distraction from the cold.

_How had this happened? _The situation being that Riku had, within such a small period of time, had changed from enemy to ally. Yesterday, Riku had been an oppressive tormenter, a bully that Sora would never deign to associate with.

Roxas quickly came to the conclusion that he needed to speak with Sora on the matter, so the question now became, what were _they _going to do about Riku? Roxas turned to glance at him as he tried to make eye contact, but the corridor was dimly lit and Riku, who walked right along beside Sora, blocked his ability to do so adequately. _Damn it, _Roxas cried out inwardly in frustration. He turned to glare once more at Riku, but was hampered by the unfortunate presence of another.

"You're blocking my view." Roxas stated bluntly.

Axel had noticed the downward spiral of Roxas's mood since Riku had appeared. Axel, however, was grateful for Riku's presence because it served as a suitable distraction for Sora, leaving Roxas all to himself.

"Let me take a guess." Axel narrowed his eyes and put his finger to his mouth in exaggerated conjecture. "You find Riku's presence here less than desirable?" Roxas huffed and rolled his eyes at the gross understatement of his true feelings.

"He's up to something." Roxas glanced over at Riku and grimaced to emphasize his distaste. "I would confront Riku if I didn't think it would jeopardize their 'truce'."

Axel looked briefly over at Roxas. "You're right, it's better not to disturb them. It'll make your brother's life easier. On the other hand, he wants _something _from Sora_, _something that he couldn't and didn't get from his previous actions."Axel saw Roxas's dismay and attempted to mitigate the negative effects of his words. "It's not as bad as you might think. Sora seems able to hold his own pretty well. At some point you need to trust that your brother knows what he's doing."

The redhead actually had a point. Sora had done a rather good job of taking care of himself but that didn't mean that he couldn't help lessen the burden. "Yeah, you're right." At that Axel's chest puffed up in an exaggeration of pride and Roxas rolled his eyes. "Just don't let it go to your head." He lightly tapped Axel on the arm which brought an answering smile to the redhead's lips. Roxas actually felt a little better. Maybe Axel really wasn't _so_ bad after all.

"And you know Roxas, if you need help keeping tabs on Riku, I'd be more than willing to help." Axel drawled.

Roxas stopped from rubbing his cold arms for a moment and turned to look at Axel skeptically. "You'd do that?"

Axel smiled as his emerald eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course I would, Roxas. We're friends aren't we?"

Roxas looked up for a moment, considering the question for a moment. "Yeah, I guess we are, sorta."

_This is working out even __**better**__ than I'd planned, _Axel inwardly congratulated himself.

"What do you think they're talking about over there?" Sora gestured over to Roxas and Axel as he shivered uncomfortably. The corridor was dark and the occasional cold draft would sweep through, causing the already icy tunnel to become even chillier. The thin shirt he wore did nothing to prevent the cold from seeping through.

Riku waved his hand as he looked over at Sora to smirk. "Who cares?" Riku had an idea of _who_ exactly they were talking about if Roxas's glares in his direction were any indication.

"I'm bored, that's why." Sora pouted and looked at Riku almost as if he expected him to do something about it. "Are we almost there?" Sora whined.

Riku ignored the inane question and asked one of his own. "Where did you learn to switch wield?"

"Actually I'm used to using two swords not one, so switching hands is no big deal," Sora said without a trace of conceit to the statement. Riku struggled not to scowl but he couldn't help the reluctant admiration he felt for Sora's skills. _Definitely a worthy opponent._

Sora smiled as he turned to gesture in the direction where his brother was, talking to Axel. "Roxas taught me."

_Roxas fences as well?_ Riku shrugged inwardly. He supposed it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, seeing as they were brothers, that they would share some of the same interests.

"What about you? Do you have a brother?" Sora asked. He didn't know much about Riku, and he supposed now was as good a time as any to start. Maybe they'd find they had more in common than he had originally thought.

"No, I have no siblings."

Sora paused a moment and considered whether he should share a piece of himself as well. "There was only me and Roxas most of the time. Mom was constantly working to support us so she wasn't there a lot but Roxas and I always had each other. How about you? Was it lonely being an only child?" Sora couldn't imagine having grown up alone. The thought made him realize what a gift he'd received in having Roxas fora brother. But of course Riku wasn't lonely. He had money and friends, not to mention his influential father. "You don't have to answer-"

"No, not in the beginning. It was only after, that I started to feel that way, I guess." Riku sighed. He wasn't used to sharing the details of his family life with anyone. Strangely enough, it was easier than he thought it would be, probably because of the way Sora was _looking_ at him, as if he was finally seeing Riku for the first time.

"After what?"

"My parents are divorced. It was just me and Sephiroth and some servants. Not really fun as a kid. I spent most of my time home-schooled or planning to run away. I actually succeeded once."

"In running away?" Sora gaped, unable to imagine himself in the same position.

"Yeah." Riku remembered it clearly. The brightness of that sunny day had only served to mock him. He had run away only to find her happy with a whole new family. It had been so contemptuously ideal; the white picket fence, the dog playing in the yard, and the little girl running with two pink ribbons weaving in and out of her ebony hair. He'd remembered her pointing at him, stunningly bright blue eyes, a shade darker than Sora's, asking who he was.

Yes, he had felt lonely, but mostly he had been angry, so angry in fact that he had decided to become an entirely different person. He had decided to make the decision to hold onto the things that he wanted and to never let go. Becoming the dutiful son that excelled in all of his lessons hadn't been easy at first, be he had learned quickly.

He had learned that people belonged in either one of two categories; allies or enemies. There were followers and there were leaders. The strong prospered and the weak perished. He had decided that he would be the strong.

A light touch on his arm brought him back to reality, as he felt the tingling warmth of Sora's hand, his softly sympathetic voice asking "Well, what happened?" Even in the dim shadows he could see Sora's beautifully set features. Did his eyes have to be such an entrancing shade of blue? They practically glowed.

"I grew up." Riku stated in a calm matter of fact voice. Sora's eyes were sad when they looked back at him, and he gnawed his lip in contemplation of what the upperclassman had told him. "God Sora, don't be such a sap." Riku playfully ruffled Sora's spiky hair.

"Hey!" Sora pouted and mock glared at Riku, though the effect was wholly ruined as he began to grin. "Hey Riku, look!" Sora tugged on Riku's shirt as he jumped up and down waving his arms excitedly. "It's the light. Roxas, we're almost there! Hey, Roxas are you listening? Geez, Rox, I know you're having fun playing hooky with Axel but…" Sora was silenced by the answering punch on his arm via Roxas.

"I heard you the first time, Sora. I know we're almost there. I'm just so frozen it's a little hard to be excited." Roxas said, as his teeth chattered.

Axel and Riku watched on with vague amusement as Sora talked about how much faster he was than Roxas and could beat him in a race easily. "Let's see if those short little legs of yours can make it to the entrance."

"My legs are the same length as yours, stupid." Roxas replied, shaking his head and smiling at the antics of his brother. He couldn't help but notice earlier that Riku had made Sora laugh and smile, as if they were old pals. This fact coupled with his other suspicions made it more than obvious that he and Axel would have to keep close tabs on Riku, because Sora was succumbing to whatever _charm_ Riku apparently had. Roxas sighed. Sora needed to stop being so friendly. Polite. Cool politeness was what the situation called for. That concept, however, was obviously lost on his brother. Roxas put the thought aside and chased after Sora.


	7. Realms of Light and Dark Part 1

**Disclaimer: We own Kingdom Hearts. Yeah, yeah, Square Enix, you can sue us. Too bad we don't have any money.**

**Dedication: To all of our reviewers, both old and new, this chapter is for you,** **but especially for xXxSmidgexXx, because yes, we really do remember****. **

**Author's Note: We've been getting a lot of comments lately about the ambiguous feelings people have for certain characters, namely Riku, although some don't know whether they like Axel or not either. The truth is, you're **_**supposed**_** to feel that way. Sadly in life, kiddies, very seldom do we meet people who are all bad or all good. Yes, Sora comes across as extremely cute and sweet but I'm sure even he has his moments. The point is that our characters are a product of not only their own natural characters, but their environment as well. How they grew up, who their parents are, what kind of friends they've made, etc. Riku isn't totally bad, nor is Axel. We shouldn't forget the lessons of Kingdom Hearts. Sora had to help draw Riku away from darkness, and yes, that's what this is all about. So just keep it in mind when you're reading.**

**Additional A/N: Because we've been so busy it's hard to respond to all our reviewers so we're going to try to reply to as many as we can, but sadly in this chapter we only managed a few responses so here goes:**

**VanyelXFan: We just loved your response and your list of inappropriate sex talk and behavior in front of poor innocent Sora. Honestly, you're just giving us more ideas!**

**Walkin' kitten: We always love your reviews! Don't worry, tutoring starts soon in the fic, we think probably after their weekend fiasco, so probably Monday in Sora's world and so does fencing practice so it's going to be a very busy Monday. As for Riku's whispered words to Sora…well, read on…**

**Finem: Wow! What can we say? We **_**love**_** you and most especially your fic, **_**Life on the Blitz. **_**Keys and I stayed up all night reading it, it was fantastic! We're so flattered that you reviewed us and we're glad that you liked it so much. **

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The tourist season was over—long stretches of beach all but abandoned except for the occasional couple or family. Here and there people dotted the strand: a man with a dog throwing a Frisbee—letting the dog have his fun so that the energetic pup would sleep later; a single mother and child, an overturned orange bucket, the child scooping up shovelfuls of sand while the mother read her paperback in the low light.

Twilight Town's tourists had left for the busier cities of Radiant Garden—of Midgar, and Traverse Town. They were port cities for the most part, full of commerce and bright lights, and were reputed to never sleep. And although technically in Twilight Town it never reached full dark (the sunlit shadows of dusk lingering all day, every day) shops closed early in the off-season, most around the dinner hour of eight o'clock.

Twilight Town, while host to a myriad of cosmopolitan peoples during the season, was primarily a family-town, an old-home town, where streets of homes housed families—mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, dogs and cats. There were two-car garages, pavements lined with maple trees whose leaves turned yellow and orange in the autumn and cherry blossom trees that sprouted pink and white during the spring. It was a town that still had neighborhood picnics, where every resident knew who their neighbor was; where teenage girls babysat the neighborhood kids without reference checks and the local schools had not seen or even really heard of metal-detectors.

Roxas loved it. He stood facing the shore, water lapping at his ankles and creeping up his calves, soaking the bottom edges of his board shorts, and looked out at the distant horizon, hazy with the pinks and golds of perpetual sunset. There was a level of comfort here that he had never felt before, not even in his beloved Destiny Islands. Home before this had always been wherever his mother and Sora were, and that had been the Islands. It was as simple and complicated as that. He knew, in the same way that he knew that the sun rose in the east and set in the west, that he would end up here, that no matter where he went after he graduated, no matter how far he travelled or the distant worlds he saw, he would always be drawn back to Twilight Town.

He had wanted Sora to see Twilight Town, to recognize the same mix of majesty and comfort that he himself felt. But as they had walked through the busy streets of Radiant Garden toward the train station, he had seen Sora's eyes gleam with excitement as they took in the paved streets lined with stalls bursting with color and scents, and he knew that Sora and he were destined for separate roads and separate lives.

But not yet. Not now.

Now Sora was talking to Hayner and Pence in that easy way of his, smiling and ruffling his hair, sweeping his heavy bangs away from his eyes as the placid sea breeze kissed his face and cheeks. Olette stood farther back, hands clasped in front of her, smiling shyly at the new arrivals and glancing warily every now and then toward Riku, as if she could sense something of a predator in him and the rest of them were prey: birds around a cat that was too full to eat them just yet.

Axel sat on a nearby sand dune, looking contemplatively and somewhat longingly into a cigarette pack, pulling one out before shoving it back in, and repeating the process.

Roxas was about to ask him what the hell he was doing when Hayner spoke.

"So, I was going to go get some pretzels. Did any of you want some?"

Sora's eyes lit with pleasure at the promise of food. "Pretzels? I'm in!"

"Be careful, Hayner, he's a bottomless pit." Roxas shot Sora a smirk and his brother stuck his tongue out in response.

"How about the rest of you?" Hayner asked, glancing over at Roxas and then at Axel. He stiffened slightly before turning toward Riku, tilting his head in a challenging way. The older boy met his gaze, a slight upward tilt to his mouth before he replied.

"No thanks." He brushed silver bangs away from his face before turning his back to Hayner, looking over briefly at Sora then turning to face the shore.

Hayner muttered something presumably uncomplimentary beneath his breath before looking back at Roxas, but he just scowled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, Hayner, that'd be good."

Olette piped up. "I'll buy us some sea-salt ice-cream."

"And I'll get the watermelon," Pence said, looking back and forth between Riku, Roxas, and Hayner as if trying to decide where the source of tension was.

Roxas stared at Riku for a moment, a plan beginning to develop in his mind. But first he had to get Sora out of the way.

"Sora, why don't you go with Hayner and help with the food?"

Sora looked over at Roxas, a quizzical expression on his face, but a moment later it was broken with a smile as he turned back to face Hayner.

"Sure, I'm always willing to help out with the food!"

Roxas rolled his eyes but smiled, shaking his head as Sora left with Roxas's friends.

Roxas glanced over at Axel, unsure how to deal with him and get him out of the way so that he could put his plan into action, but the redhead looked over at him, a knowing gleam in his emerald eyes. He winked and stood up, shoving his hands into his long black coat that was decidedly out of place against the golden horizon and blue ocean. His combat boots were caked with sand and the long spikes of his fiery red hair blew stiffly in every direction.

"I'm just going to go for a walk. It's been a while since I've been back here," Axel said, pulling out the now familiar cigarette pack before guiltily looking back at Roxas and shoving them back in his pocket.

Axel's comment caused Roxas to hesitate. He had been here before? Roxas wanted to ask but was stopped by his earlier resolve to go through with his plan. He couldn't get distracted. He might never get another chance. The choice was taken away from him when Axel turned and started down the strand of beach, seagulls darting hastily out of his way, his black coat fluttering open with every sand-caked step.

Roxas took a deep breath and turned back toward Riku. Riku, who was looking at him with imperious curiosity, one eyebrow raised in question, his mouth set with a familiar quirk.

"I assume there's a reason you got everyone to leave? I can only surmise that you have something you wanted to speak to me about. Sora, perhaps?"

Roxas scowled, trying to hide a defensive response to Riku's intuitive question. There was no point beating around the bush about it. He had planned on being subtle, had hoped that Riku could be drawn out with a few discreetly-put probing questions, but it was obviously too late for that.

Roxas took a few steps closer to Riku, wanting to look into his face while he spoke, to gauge the older boy's response to his probes. In Roxas's experience, more answers could be found in body language, reading the eyes, and the set of someone's mouth than by the words they spoke. People lied, even to themselves.

"You and Sora…" All of a sudden Roxas was tongue-tied, not knowing where or how to start asking the questions he wanted answers to. How did he ask about someone's intentions toward his brother without seeming…well, without seeming interfering and nosy?

"Sora and I, what?" Riku's face was now openly mocking, his head tilted sardonically and Roxas could feel his hands clench involuntarily into fists.

"You like my brother, don't you?"

Riku stared back at him, his face expressionless, his arms crossed in front of his chest. In anyone else Roxas would've called it a defensive gesture, but on Riku it was just…natural. Roxas couldn't remember the last time he had seen anyone's face that blank before. And it wasn't just the face, it was his eyes. It was as if Riku was wearing an invisible blindfold.

"If I owe anyone the answer to that question, it's Sora himself. I certainly don't owe it to you," Riku finally said.

"I'm his brother. I love him. I have his best interests at heart. Do you?"

"Are you asking me if I love your brother?" Riku asked sarcastically.

"Do you?" Roxas hadn't meant to ask that. It definitely wasn't subtle, but now that it was out he was glad that he had. The shock on Riku's face was worth it.

"What the hell are you talking about? You have got to be kidding." Roxas could see that Riku was trying to play it off, but he could still see the shock in his eyes. The invisible blindfold was gone. For now.

It was Roxas's turn to smile sarcastically. "Am I? Is it that shocking? You seem to have it in for Sora, only it's not physical harm you mean him, is it? You want something from him. What I can't figure out is why? Why Sora? After all, by all accounts you're quite the ladies' man." Axel had told him that much during the course of their journey through the tunnels.

Riku was once again silent, his face set in blank lines, eyes empty of emotion but Roxas could sense his turmoil. He could also sense that the other wasn't used to it.

"I'm still not clear on exactly what you want from me. Are you expecting me to declare undying love for him? Assure you my intentions are honorable?"

Roxas snorted a laugh. He couldn't help it. It was too ridiculous. "Are they?"

Riku started laughing and then they were both laughing together. After a while they both calmed down but Roxas's breath was still shaky with laughter when he asked, "How about platonic? Your interest in Sora? It's not platonic, though, is it?"

The smile faded from Riku's face as quickly as it had come. His eyes glinted aqua in the low light and for an instant some emotion flickered across them, too fast for Roxas to pinpoint. He didn't say anything and the tension that had been released with their laughter was back. Roxas growled, a sound of frustration that welled in his throat. He wasn't getting anywhere.

Riku turned to face the shore and Roxas repeated his question. "Is it?"

"What's between Sora and I is none of your business, Roxas. Maybe you should worry about yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Roxas asked uneasily, his body tensing.

"I never suspected that you would be as naïve as your brother. I guess blood really does tell," Riku replied after a moment.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Riku shook his head. "I'm going for a walk. Let Sora know."

And with that he turned his back and walked with an unhurried gait past Roxas in the opposite direction that Axel had taken minutes before.

_What the fuck?_

Roxas couldn't decide whether he was angry or just plain annoyed but he was definitely confused. Only one thing was certain in his mind. Riku was hiding something and whatever it was, he was afraid it had bad implications for Sora. He knew that he hadn't been mistaken about the hunger he had seen in Riku's eyes when he looked at his brother and until he could be sure his brother was safe he wasn't going to give up trying to find out what Riku's real intentions for Sora were.

Roxas waited until the others came back with the food before following the path that Axel had taken. He wasn't sure what made him seek out the company of the questionably sane redhead but suddenly the laughing chatter of the others had been too much, too overwhelming after the scene with Riku. Hayner and Pence hadn't seemed surprised that Riku had left but Sora was worried. He could see it in his brother's eyes, could see the vague hint of reproach there, too. His brother wasn't stupid for all of his wild antics. He had known that something was up, that there was a reason for Riku's absence and Roxas's sudden quiet.

"Are you looking for me?"

The voice came from his left and Roxas stopped and turned. He was not surprised to find Axel sitting on top of a rocky outcropping smoking a cigarette. Roxas looked around, noticing for the first time that he had reached the end of the small beach, the sandy portion leading into a pile of unsymmetrical jagged rocks home to tide-pools and sea-worn logs.

"No."

Axel smirked, clearly not believing him. Roxas wasn't sure why he lied. Something about Axel made him feel that if he gave the redhead an inch he would take a mile.

_Ha, he'd probably take a hundred if I let him._

Even so, Roxas climbed the rocks, careful not to cut his bare feet as he made his way to where Axel was sitting. The other hastily put out a cigarette, waving at the air in front of him to clear the smoke and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"Why do you smoke those things? They smell terrible, they can't taste that good."

"Don't knock it until you try it, kid."

Axel leaned back, spreading his arms to accommodate his weight, his elbows propping him up. Roxas sat down gingerly in front of him, bracing himself with his legs and propping his elbows on his knees. Silence reined between the two for a moment, the heavy lapping of waves and sea foam creating its own music to fill the emptiness.

"I'm trying to quit," Axel said abruptly.

"What?"

"I said I'm trying to quit. This is my last pack." Axel fidgeted restlessly for a moment, looking uncomfortable with the admission.

Roxas couldn't figure out why Axel would feel awkward admitting to something like that and was about to make a sarcastic comment but something about Axel's demeanor in the admission had him hesitating.

"That's good."

Silence reined again for a moment before Axel finally spoke.

"So, what happened with Riku?"

Roxas snorted. "Nothing happened. I couldn't get anything out of him."

"Hmmm." Axel looked contemplative for a moment, staring out to where the sea met sky. "Maybe you should wait, see what happens. Riku's motives will reveal themselves soon. He's not exactly the subtle type. And Sora, he's made some good friends."

"I know, but…" Roxas paused, not knowing how to continue. He knew that was true. Sora made friends easily and he had the tendency to make the kind of friends who watched his back, but Roxas had always been around whenever Sora had a problem and he wasn't used to being left in the dark when it came to knowing what was going on with him.

"I'll tell you what. Give me your number and your email address. I'll let you know if anything is going on that I think you should know about. You know, just in case."

"Are you suggesting that you'll spy on my brother for me?" A part of Roxas was horrified with the idea, but the larger part of him was relieved. He knew about Sora's tendencies to keep important details to himself. _Like a bully who might possibly want to get in his pants._

"I prefer to think of it as being an informant of diplomacy."

"Spy," Roxas said wryly, but he furrowed his brow in contemplation and then nodded his head. "All right. Just—let's just keep this between us. There's no sense in worrying Sora." _Or making him angry._

"Sure." Axel smiled like the Cheshire cat for a moment before pulling out a phone from his left pocket and typing Roxas's phone number and email address into it at Roxas's direction.

Roxas suddenly remembered something that had made him curious earlier. "So, you've been to Twilight Town before?"

Axel nodded his head, a sardonic smile that suddenly seemed out of place fixing itself on his face. "Yeah, my old man lives here. And I guess I call this place home when I'm not back at the Academy."

Roxas's eyes widened in surprise. Twilight Town and Axel didn't seem like they went together well. T-Town seemed too tame, too quiet for someone with Axel's fire and energy.

"He's not around much, my old man," Axel gestured dismissively before continuing. "Yup, he's always off on one of his crazy schemes. Quite the con artist, my Pop. And I do mean _artist. _He could sell sand to Agrabans."

"I guess you come by it honestly, then," Roxas said dryly.

Axel stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment. "What do you mean?"

He fidgeted uncomfortably before he spoke. "You. You seem like the type who could sell sand to Agrabans, too."

Axel gazed at him, his green eyes wide with surprise before a startled laugh escaped him. "Yeah, I guess that's true. You know, you're a lot smarter than you look." An expression of genuine admiration swept across Axel's sharp feline features and a real smile, not the sarcastic or Cheshire smile Roxas was used to seeing, but a sincere one formed across his lips, brightening his green eyes to true emerald and causing the lines of his face to soften. In that moment Axel was beautiful.

"Beautiful," Roxas murmured softly.

"What?" Axel asked, giving Roxas a puzzled look.

H could feel himself blushing and he looked down hastily, getting to his feet and wobbling slightly on the uneven rocks.

He turned back to see Axel smiling at him, the knowing grin back in place. "Beautiful, huh?"

Roxas could feel himself flushing further, his mouth flopping open as he tried to speak words that wouldn't come but he was saved by the ring of Axel's phone. The redhead looked down at it for a few moments without answering it. He stared at it like someone would a scorpion that was prepared to sting. Finally he flipped the phone open.

"Hello, Pop."

* * *

On another beach, in another part of the world, a girl sighed, the sand wet and soft beneath her feet as she wondered to herself just how long it had been since she had come to her favorite place. Time had become relative in his absence, and as she stood immobile in the chilled sea breeze she realized how numb she was beginning to feel, almost to the point where she could separate from herself and the memories that crept along the surface of her mind. She chuckled briefly and the soft lilting sound drifted from her lips and blended with the moaning wind.

It was the weekend now, and all the thoughts and feelings she had been avoiding by staying busy with friends and school were rushing back to her, their presence causing a heavy weight to press down uncomfortably on her chest.

Feelings of guilt and anger were bubbling over and she found herself taking deep breaths to compensate for the sudden and suffocating lack of air.

_I will remain strong._

She had repeated this mantra many times over the past few days. She had been unwilling to cry but the drain from denying their release was taxing.

"Kairi!"

She turned in startled surprise, her violet eyes widening as she finally noticed the softly feminine figure that stood beside her. She shook her head and offered an apologetic smile, glad for the darkening sky that cast a shadow across her dispirited features.

"Sorry, Naminé. I was just lost in thought. I'm sure you know how that is."

Naminé nodded in understanding as she flashed a brief, reassuringly warm smile. She knew what was on Kairi's mind, for it had also been on her mind. Their closest friends, Sora and Roxas, had left and now neither of them could help but notice the empty spaces that were made so prevalent in their absence.

She gazed at the writhing tides that crashed and undulated in synchronous hypnotic movements before she looked over at Kairi. She crossed her bare arms in an attempt to deflect the mist of tingling spray that swept in on the waves.

"I know. I've been thinking about Sora and Roxas, too."

She glanced at Kairi as she tried to gauge her reaction, and even with the growing darkness that cast an unnerving glow around them, she could feel the disheartened emotion from the auburn-haired girl's small, pallid form. An aperture had formed where her heart had once been.

Places they had frequented together so many times now somehow seemed colorless and barren, their existence replete with nostalgia. Kairi had told Naminé with such optimistic certainty right before Sora had left that they would find new places to build memories. Naminé, however, had not had the same buoyant attitude and considered true friends that she had a real affinity for difficult people to come by.

The blonde girl took off her sandals as she found a dry spot on the sand to sit, offering her friend a place beside her with a gracefully gesturing hand. Kairi responded by taking a seat beside her and they both listened to the soft rolling waves of the sea. Its sweet crystalline scent permeated the air.

"I was relieved to hear from Roxas, and to hear that Sora won the duel against Riku," Kairi finally said.

She was turned slightly away from Naminé's gaze, but the blond-haired girl's bright blue eyes didn't miss the downturned corners of her pursed lips. Obviously something else was worrying Kairi. Naminé had received an email from Roxas as well and had felt a similar sense of dismay.

"But?"

Kairi put her knees up and crossed her arms. "But he's hiding something. His response was vague and short. You know that Roxas is usually very expressive when he writes. He doesn't like to give all the exact little details, but the feelings he conveys are always there. It just felt blank." She paused for a moment and looked at Namine before saying, "I think he was trying to tell us something."

Kairi furrowed her eyebrows and bit her lip in thought as she stared dully at the sand. Naminé placed a comfortingly warm hand on the small of her back, urging her to continue.

"I don't want to seem paranoid Nami, but I saw the look in that boy's eyes…" Aquamarine eyes flashed before her for a brief moment and the small hairs on her arms stood erect as she became uncomfortably cold. She shivered and quickly wrapped her arms around her torso.

"Riku," Naminé whispered. "From what you've said about him, he doesn't seem like the type to be easily deterred."

Naminé looked over at Kairi who nodded her head in agreement.

"Roxas is with Sora even now. You know how protective he is. If he actually believed the situation was something that Sora didn't have a handle on, I'm sure he would tell us."

The words hadn't rolled off Naminé's tongue as smoothly as she thought they would. _Would_ Roxas tell them if something was wrong? She shook her head at the thought, looking over at Kairi. She could tell from her friend's scowl that she wasn't so sure either.

"Why would he tell us? From his point of view there's nothing we can do. Especially since my presence at the school only served to make things worse for Sora." Kairi paused for a moment as her eyes met Naminé's worried ones.

Roxas wouldn't tell them because there was nothing they could do if they were stuck on the Island. Kairi kicked the sand in frustration, and it jerked and rippled up into the air, flaying itself across her bared legs as it slowly trickled down in a tingling caress.

"Why do you think he joined Sora in the first place? He sensed something was wrong, too. Have you noticed Sora's emails? They're even more cryptic than Roxas's." She huffed in indignation. "You'd think they would know by now that they can't hide things from us, or omit truths as they've been doing."

Naminé nodded her head sadly as a light and cool sea breeze softly grazed across her face. The sun had receded from the sky and only the tender penetrating glow of the moon was left in its stead. Roxas was trying to protect them, but by doing so they were becoming even more worried.

"I think they're busy with their own problems now, Kairi. Sora doesn't want to make his issues ours by getting us involved."

Was she being selfish? Kairi shook her head. She couldn't think so negatively when Sora needed her. Although she had wanted to help; thus far, all she had done was succeed in making trouble. Did that mean she couldn't in some way make reparations for what she had done?

"You're right, Naminé." Kairi paused for a moment before she continued. "That doesn't mean we can't indirectly be involved. Does Sora _have_ to know that we're helping him? In fact, it's best if he doesn't know. He won't have to worry about us."

Naminé looked at her auburn-haired friend dubiously as she bit her lip in uncertainty. If they were going to do something so unobtrusively then they would need to have a plan.

"I think it's time that we do something together, Naminé. We can't stay in this protective bubble forever. Our friends need us." Kairi stood up and stretched her arms and legs before she turned around to offer a hand to the slender blond girl.

She stared at Kairi from where she sat and she wondered if it wasn't the other way around. Kairi needed Sora, although she was sure her friend would never admit it. Naminé smiled a little sadly as she gently placed her hand in the comforting one of her now smiling friend. Kairi's alabaster brilliance had been restored to its former warm vitality and Naminé felt relieved at the sight.

She was glad to finally be able to do something. What harm could be done by trying?

"What do you suggest that we do?"

Kairi smiled playfully. "I have a plan."

* * *

The dim light of twilight was ever-present; the only changes to be seen were the colors of the sky. Twilight Town had a sunset like no other, probably because the sun never actually showed itself fully but was always a glimpse on the horizon, a backdrop for violets, pinks, and radiant orange. Sora loved it, but he loved it in the way that people loved their memories, with nostalgia, a faint hint of sadness touched with joy. The stars never appeared, nor the moon. It was as if the sky was in suspended animation but for the kaleidoscope of hues.

He walked with meandering steps, not having any particular direction, and without any real thought began cataloguing the differences between this beach and the one on Destiny Islands. The sand here was grainier, less soft to the touch, the water cooler but still pleasant, and the ocean was made of dark grays and blues rather than the bright cerulean and aqua he was used to (the colors reminded him of Squall's eyes, truth be told).

Roxas had been silent about the cause of Riku disappearance but he suspected that his brother had gone into his overprotective mode (ridiculous really, because Roxas was the younger one. But it had always been that way so Sora never questioned it). His brother had disappeared but that wasn't unusual. Roxas, although amiable and always having friends, was at heart a loner, more comfortable with his own company than most.

When Sora had come back to find Riku gone he had felt momentary panic, as if Riku's absence was more significant than he could logically explain. He knew that Riku wasn't really gone, that he had just gone for a walk, but something inside Sora cried out for him to go look for him, the idea that Riku would leave him untenable. He didn't understand why. It made no sense. He barely knew him, and what he did know wasn't exactly wonderful. Still…

"Sora." The word seemed almost whispered, a product of the wind or Sora's imagination but Sora turned around anyway. Sitting above him high on a sand dune was Riku. The panic the he had been feeling left as suddenly as it had come.

"Hey," Sora said softly in reply, a light blush coating his cheeks. Riku smiled at him, eyes a dark cyan, silver hair tinted violet in the setting sun. "I've been looking for you."

"Well, you found me," Riku responded, his smile widening as he gestured with his hand to the place next to him, inviting Sora to sit. He climbed the sandy hill and took a seat before glancing over at Riku who was still watching him with a slight smile on his face. "I had to get away from your brother's Q and A."

Sora blushed again. He looked down before glancing upward, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Sorry about that."

"No you're not," Riku retorted, rolling his eyes and leaning back on his elbows, his chest bare and glowing peach in the dim light.

Sora glanced away as his smile widened. "You're right, I'm not. I'm betting it was pretty funny."

"Oh yeah, hilarious," Riku said dryly and Sora couldn't suppress a low chuckle. Riku rolled his eyes.

"Roxas is…"

"Protective," Riku finished for him.

"A little too protective sometimes, I guess."

"No," Riku shook his head. "You're lucky. To have someone who cares like he does."

"Don't you? Have someone like that, I mean?"

Riku looked over at Sora, examining the other's face. The younger boy's eyes were wide and curious, his cupid bow mouth puckered in question. Riku fought the strongest urge to reach over and touch Sora's cheek, to lower his mouth toward the other's, to explore that inner wet warmth with his tongue. His heart started beating a rapid tattoo against his chest as he struggled with himself.

_Now isn't the time._

But Sora was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He wanted to be close to him, closer to him than he had been to anyone.

He pondered Roxas's question. Why him, why Sora?

He didn't know, but there was something about him, something that called to him, pulled at him, as surely as the moon pulled the tides. He was tired of it, this inner battle that raged inside him which was a constant thing since he met Sora. He used to be so certain of himself, what he wanted, where he was going, but since he had met the spiky-haired brunet, since the first day he had looked into Sora's wide blue eyes, nothing was clear anymore. His world that had once been unmistakably defined was now…well, now it wasn't.

"Riku?" Sora waved his hand in front of Riku's face trying to get his attention. He was smiling and it lit his features to such brilliance that Riku felt almost blinded by it. "Riku, where'd you go?"

Suddenly Riku was annoyed. Why should this matter so much? The answer was that it _shouldn't_. He _should_ just want to fuck him and move on_._ So why didn't he? Frustration welled within him. He remembered his whispered words to Sora after the duel. _This isn't over, Sora. _And it was true. It would never be over until he could rid himself of this obsession.

Burying the growl that welled in his throat he said,"I should get back."

Sora, sensing Riku's annoyance but not sure where it was coming from, furrowed his brows in confusion. "Back to the others?"

"No. Back to Radiant Garden," Riku snapped, shifting as if to get up. He looked over at Sora and his tone unconsciously softened when he noticed his bewildered expression. "It's getting late."

Before he could stand Sora jumped up and clapped his hands together. "I have an idea. I haven't been around Radiant Garden yet. Maybe you could show me around."

Riku gaped up at him, trying to comprehend what Sora had just said. He wanted to spend time with _him_? Wanted _Riku_ to show him around? He felt unsettled, as if he could never quite keep his balance around Sora. It was as if he was constantly walking a tight-rope that was being jostled and jarred.

Suddenly an idea came to him, a plan that could put them more on even-footing.

He smirked, looking up into Sora's excited face. "All right."

Sora jumped up and down and Riku laughed, not sure what to think. Was Sora ridiculous or just…really, really cute?

Sora reached out his hand to Riku. "We'll go together."

Riku blinked up at Sora and for an instant he was disoriented. He felt as if he wasn't there with Sora on this beach, but another, like a memory from a dream. The light seemed to go out for a moment, the beach going dark. Then he looked again, the halo of light that had seemed to surround Sora disappeared. And then it was just Sora, reaching down to Riku with an expectant look on his face. He took his hand.

* * *

Sora walked along beside Riku as he led the way through the Market District of Radiant Garden. Towering stone buildings of varied shapes and sizes stood erect before Sora. The concrete monuments to commercialism soared above the citizens of its city, casting them in shadow as they bustled to and fro. He had never experienced the grandeur of anything so large and magnificent. It was a metropolitan city, filled with so many different shops, boutiques, and stores that catered to the extensive desires of the general populace.

Axel had made the decision to stay in Twilight Town and had stated his ambiguous reason with a chuckle that had caused Roxas's blue eyes to tilt downward and his lips to pinch in a look of concern that was usually reserved for his close friends. His brother had always been a bit protective, but Sora hadn't like to see him looking so worried.

When he had hugged his brother goodbye at the train station, he had quickly asked if everything was all right, but Roxas had only shaken his head and told him it was nothing. Sora was fairly certain that wasn't true and he made a note to himself to dig for details later when he had the chance. It wasn't the first time Sora had been forced into probing for more information from Roxas and it undoubtedly wouldn't be his last. He had come to the conclusion that if he didn't ask, Roxas would never tell.

Kairi and Namine had always been good at getting Roxas to confide in them, and the three of them had often sat together, huddled in a tight circle as they had long conversations. Sora sighed under a brief wave of nostalgia. He remembered the scent of saltwater, the laughter and faces of his friends, and the comfort and security he had felt when he was with them.

He was drawn back to the present as he glanced around the plaza. The gray stone of the flagstone pavement brought to mind a set of eyes nearly the same color.

_Squall._

He had never experienced such feelings before, a constant weight of apprehension and excitement. Squall wasn't a friend like Zexion or Demyx. Sora jutted his lower lip out as he crossed his arms, staring blankly at the people passing by.

_What do I want him to be?_

He felt a shiver run down his spine and he arched his back at the intrusion, a wave of heat piercing his cheeks at his shameless thoughts. Was this what his friends back home had meant when they had talked about "liking" someone? He had never really thought about it back home on the island but he had gotten his fair share of love confessions from girls.

Why was it that he had never been interested? The fact that Roxas had never cared for girls either had given him some comfort. But was the real reason he had never been able to reciprocate any of those girls' feelings because he liked men instead?

The thought somehow felt wrong to him and he shook his head. No, that wasn't it. Even if Squall had been a girl he still would've liked him. Sora inwardly chucked at the thought of Squall as a female and then felt warmth flood his cheeks. Yes, he was certain he would be attracted to him, regardless.

He felt better at the thought and turned to look at his silver-haired companion who was now sporting a look of frustration.

"Sora! Try to keep up. I hadn't realized I was babysitting a child. If I had known, I might have thought twice about offering to give you a tour." Riku crossed his arms as he challenged Sora with a hard and penetrating stare. He enjoyed seeing the reactions that he that he could evoke from Sora by teasing him. Riku smirked when he saw the blue eyes grow darker in frustration and Sora's lips formed into a familiar pout.

"I'm not a child. I just don't see the point in giving me a tour if I don't actually get to explore anything, Riku. I thought the point of a tour was for you to show me the town, not to point and say the name of the landmark without giving me a chance to explore."

Riku shook his head and smirked, silver hair falling over his face as he sighed and stared at the people around him. Sora's refreshingly simple, straightforward, and open fascination with people and sights gave him an endearing child-like quality, very unlike the shrewd and contrived people that he was used to dealing with in his every-day life. Riku smiled indulgently as he nodded his head.

"Very well, Sora. We'll do it your way. I don't want you to feel dissatisfied with your tour." He nudged Sora ahead of him as he thought of the plans he had in store for him. Sora was definitely in for a surprise.

Sora smiled as he jumped up excitedly, running into the nearest sweet shop with a display window that was filled with various assortments of flour-based food. Riku sneered at the garish display of cookies, cakes, and pastries thickly coated with fat-rich substances. But even so, he couldn't keep from shaking his head in a gesture that was simultaneously amused, disgusted, and admiring of Sora's bright and honest display of pleasure as he looked at all the sweets with covetous eyes.

Noticing his apparent lack of enthusiasm, Sora placed his hands on his hips and frowned. "What are you doing? Come on, Riku!"

Riku smiled at Sora before shaking his head, his eyes glinting with good humor. He could afford to indulge Sora. There would be plenty of time later for them to do what _he_ wanted to do.

* * *

The dorms were filled with the laughter of students. Saturday nights at Radiant Garden Academy were always loud. From every dorm room could be heard the sounds of various TV shows, movies, video games, and the blasting of stereos. Students were packed into rooms, lolling about from every conceivable surface, laughing and chatting about the week's events, plans for the following weekend, or commiserating about the homework that they had postponed until the next day. Saturdays were, in fact, the busiest day of the week for dorm leaders and keeping the noise level to a minimum while preventing chaos from leaking into the halls was an extremely taxing challenge.

A door slammed to the left of where Squall was standing, back propped against a pillar, keeping watch for errant students. The sound was followed by a loud explosion of laughter and then the scrambling of pounding footsteps. Two students appeared in front of him, one chasing the other. A blond with a haircut that looked suspiciously as if it were the love-child of a mullet and a Mohawk, was holding something above the head of another boy. The second one had slate hair that fell to one side of his face and was grabbing at it in a vain attempt to wrest it back. His expression was one of sternness but it was ruined by the smile quivering on his thin lips.

"Give it back, Demyx," he said in a serious voice, still reaching for it, wrapping one arm around the waist of the blond to hold him still. Even from where Squall was standing he could see the blond blush in response.

"No way! Come on, Zexion, just let me see the sketch. Please?" The blond poked his bottom lip out in a pout, but ruined it when he smiled. They stared at one another, the slate-haired boy's arm still wrapped around the blond, for long tense moments, and Squall could tell that there was more than friendship between the two. Then again, from the way they were standing, bodies pressed flush to one another, eyes locked, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

He was about to wave them back to their rooms when someone familiar to Squall approached the couple.

"Hey guys, you're friends with Sora, right?" Tidus asked, already clad in pajamas, his bleached locks still wet from his shower.

The two broke apart abruptly, the blond running a self-conscious hand through his hair. He took an additional step back from his companion, who appeared annoyed at the interruption. His face flashed for a moment with hurt as the blond stepped away before it settled into a blank mask, the smile disappearing from both his eyes and mouth.

It was the blond who finally spoke. "Yeah, Sora and I, I mean _we_…" he said, glancing over at his silent companion before continuing. "_We_ are friends with Sora."

"Why are you asking?" the one called Zexion questioned.

"I was just wondering if he's back yet. I had something I needed to speak with him about," Tidus said.

Zexion frowned slightly, his brow furrowed in thought. "What do you mean 'back yet'?"

At that Squall stepped forward. "Yes, Tidus, what do you mean?"

Tidus stared at Squall in blank surprise, his mouth dropping open for a moment before his lips came together and pursed into a knowing smirk. "Are you asking me as a dorm leader, Leon? Or are you asking me as a concerned _friend_ to Sora?"

Squall wasn't sure if Sora's friends understood Tidus's implications but Squall did. He and Tidus just stared at one another for a moment and Squall could read in his friend's eyes what wanted to say aloud.

_I know, Leon. I know about Sora._

Squall's heart beat uncomfortably in his chest for a moment as they stared at one another but was finally broken when he spoke. "Where is Sora?"

Tidus was about to come back with another snarky comment but something in Squall's eyes made him visibly hesitate.

"He's gone."

"Gone where?" Squall practically growled. Sora's friends were conspicuously silent and he could feel the blond, who apparently went by the name Demyx, tense at the question.

"He left," Tidus paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "with Riku."

Demyx sputtered and Zexion's eyes widened in surprise before he frowned in thought, his eyes still on Tidus.

Squall didn't know what to think. Sora was with Riku? Voluntarily? Why? How? What could Sora possibly be thinking? And more importantly, what was Riku up to?

"Where did they go, Tidus?" he asked through gritted teeth. Tidus was taken aback by the anger in Squall's eyes so he didn't come back with one of the thousand and one smart-ass comments he had ready. "They went to the beach with Sora's brother."

"Which beach?"

"Fuck, Leon, I don't know. Some beach in T-Town!"

Squall's eyes widened in surprise. Twilight Town? That was two hours away by train.

"And they're not back yet?" Zexion spoke up for the first time since Squall had joined the conversation. His hands were shoved into his pockets, the earlier frown only deepening at the information Tidus was giving them. Zexion's question seemed to bring Demyx out of his horrified trance.

"Sora's with Riku? Outside the castle? Oh God, this is really _bad_!"

"Calm down!" Tidus snapped impatiently. "Riku ain't gonna hurt him!"

"Oh yeah, 'cause he's been so nice to Sora up till now!" Demyx snapped back with heavy sarcasm.

"Demyx," Zexion said quietly, "there's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to wait and see. If Sora's not back by morning—"

"Morning!" Demyx protested.

"—then we'll go look for him," Zexion continued as if Demyx hadn't interrupted. "And if anything has happened to him…" Zexion's voice trailed off and his voice became nearly inaudible but the threat was clear.

"I'll take care of it," Squall said, looking the slate-haired boy in the eye. A look of understanding passed across Zexion face and he nodded his head slightly in acknowledgement of the other's promise. The issue of possible expulsion for Sora leaving campus without permission wasn't even broached. Even if Squall hadn't been concerned for Sora, there was still Riku to think about.

"Come on, Demyx. Let's go."

"But I wanna know why—"

"Later," Zexion said, taking the still protesting Demyx by the hand and leading him away.

Tidus and Squall were left standing there, neither looking at the other, as if not able to face what they both knew to be true. What that truth was, Squall was no longer certain of. That he had feelings for Sora that went beyond the boundaries of friendship? Or that Riku, his best friend at the academy, was even now with the boy he was rapidly falling for, and who in all likelihood had feelings for him, too? Or maybe that Sora had chosen to go with Riku against Squall's advice to stay away from him? His thoughts were a painful jumble of tangled confusion, denial, and bitterness.

_Why wasn't anything __**ever**__ simple?_

"It'll be okay, Leon," Tidus said, giving Squall a look tinged with pity. "I talked to Riku a few hours ago and they were headed back to Radiant Garden."

Squall scowled. "Well, how come you didn't say that before?"

Tidus was silent a moment before he looked up and his gaze met Squall's, naked concern present there. "Riku was going to show Sora around Radiant Garden." Tidus's voice trailed off slightly as if knowing that the news wasn't good.

Squall's eyes narrowed for a second and then they widened in dismay. "Damn it! Riku can't do that!" he gritted out, hands clenching into tight fists.

"He'll be okay, Leon. Sora will be fine." But Tidus's assertion lacked any real force and his eyes wouldn't meet Squall's. He and Tidus both knew Riku a little too well to believe that.

"Damn," he whispered again and this time the word was spoken with tense hopelessness.

* * *

"Riku!" The silver-haired boy sighed as the remorseless bundle of energy waved over to him once again, exclaiming once more that he'd found something "interesting." What was it now? He hoped it wasn't another useless rock formation shaped in the form of a duck or a dog. Sora seemed to have a fascination for those two animals.

"Come on, Riku! Let's go this way!"

Darkness had descended, and the street lamps that surrounded them led up to an array of buildings surrounded by neon flashing lights. The place Sora was pointing to was the Red Light District; a place rife with drugs, alcohol, and debauchery. Riku looked into the guileless electric-blue eyes of his companion and smiled. Sora's curious nature would be his downfall.

"Are you sure you want to go, Sora? I've been here before. The Red Light District is filled with a lot of bad things." Riku paused for a moment as he stared challengingly at the young boy. "This place isn't meant for kids."

Sora glared at Riku as the thought occurred to him, not for the first time, that he was being treated like a child. One that needed to be protected.

"I'm not a kid! If you can go there, I can too! How bad could it be, anyway?" Sometimes he felt like people underestimated him, treated him as if he couldn't take care of himself.

Riku shook his head as he smiled inwardly at Sora's frustrated reaction. He didn't even realize that he was playing right into his hands.

"I don't know, Sora. Roxas asked me to take care of you." Riku's expression was deliberately dubious as he stared into Sora's glaring eyes. In the end, this would be Sora's choice. He was only giving him a friendly nudge in the right direction.

Sora huffed in exasperation. Roxas always did this, tried to make decisions for him. Why couldn't his brother trust _him_? Sora glowered stubbornly but his eyes pleaded silently, locking onto his silver-haired companion's. "Please, Riku? What better time to do this than now? You're here with me and you already know this place. You can show me around and protect me like Roxas wanted you to."

Riku chuckled as he admitted to himself that Sora was very good at the art of persuasion. If he hadn't planned this, he might have been sold already. "All right Sora. We'll have it your way."

Riku smiled at the answering shout of joy that erupted from Sora's lips. The trail of street lamps that were glowing brilliantly led to the Red Light District, and as he and Sora started forward, he wondered to himself if it would be everything that Sora had hoped for.


	8. Realms of Light and Dark Part 2

**Dedication: To superfan8, because we love readers who review for more than one of our fics. And to KHfujoshigirl98, because she offered to beta for us. We love you.**

**We are sorry that we haven't update in a while. Three months is a long time! But we're back and hopefully the updates will come closer together now that summer is finally here. **

**Thank you so much to all our reviewers. We especially appreciate that many of you commented on how you approve of our pacing. We know many of you are eager for some lemon (which we promise you'll eventually see) be it with Sora and Squall or Sora and Riku, or Akuroku or Zemyx. So thank you for your patience.**

**A few reviewer responses:**

**Walkin' kitten: You're right, we were a little apprehensive when we started to look over your review. We had no idea that we'd made you feel so depressed. Um, to be honest, we're even more apprehensive about what you'll think of this chapter, especially if you were bothered so much by the last one. There's a lot more drama in this one and Riku comes across a little—well, you'll see. On the other hand, we really appreciated the fact that after you did some thinking you really understood what we were trying to portray in regard to Riku. You hit the nail on the head with how he's feeling. He's extremely confused and his past has taught him that it's unwise to trust anyone. Sora throws him completely off-kilter. Anyway, hope you find some enjoyment in this chapter despite its dark overtones.**

**God of Yaoi: We were happy that you liked this story so much and even more pleased that this was recommended to you by someone else. It was quite nice to hear. Although—what? You managed to read this with an anatomy and physiology exam the next day? Good God, I took those classes as well and I know how tough they are. I hope you did well despite the distraction!**

**Kira Sonar: We're very pleased that you like our characterizations. You're right! It's very hard to keep our characterizations accurate while making sure that they develop through the story. It's our biggest challenge. Story plot is easy; it's the characters who give us all the trouble! And we love our Sora as well. Other writers often portray him as quiet or lacking self-confidence and I never quite understand it. Were they playing the same game we were?**

**Poke-the-Jello: Don't worry! Squall is definitely not going to be used as a plot device. We'll tell you something—we weren't even sure who Sora was going to end up with until we made the decision a little while ago (try a week ago). Although it's still early. We may change our minds again. Both Squall and Riku play important roles in this story and we honestly love both of them.**

**Now, on to the story!**

* * *

Radiant Garden's Red Light District was everything and nothing like Sora had expected. Excitement filtered through to him, swept up to him on the breeze of patrons whose giddy laughter was contagious.

Beneath oddly-concaved and flashy buildings, occupants dressed in scantily clad attire moved from place to place, eager to enjoy the night and its entertainments. Their painted faces were bright and gay but were somehow as hard as the stone that surrounded them. Neon lights cast shadows that swayed in unison along narrowly-paved streets. Groups of men and women trickled in and out of various establishments like moths attracted to bright flames, never quite touching, but close enough to burn.

It seemed as Sora had stepped into a world of no consequence. The brilliance of it pierced the night in a vision of color and shapes. It was foreign to everything he knew. There was a sophistication here that left him feeling out of place despite his eagerness to see more, know more.

It brought to mind his friends back on the Island. What would they think? Naminé had once mentioned that places connected them through the collected memories they shared. Just as the thought occurred to him a peal of laughter rang out and he turned to see a couple holding hands. He couldn't help but feel that this was what she had meant.

He thought of Riku, his newly acquired friend, and how not so very long ago they had been enemies. Maybe their circumstances weren't perfect, but he couldn't help but feel a certain pull toward his former adversary. Despite, or maybe because of the imperfection that had characterized their first meeting, the force that drew them together now was all the more powerful.

He glanced over his shoulder at Riku and noted the deliberate and lazy confidence with which he walked. Sora knew beyond all doubt this was one of Riku's more convincing deceptions. The silver-haired upperclassman was more than capable of springing into action at a moment's notice. Moreover, he remembered their previous conversation, remembered the experienced smile of cold knowledge that had both attracted and repelled him.

Their eyes met and as the cool night air swept over his face, he began to wonder just how much Riku really knew about the Red Light District.

"How often do you come here?" Sora asked as he raised his arms, lacing his fingers comfortably behind his head.

Although they were nearly the same age, Sora couldn't help but feel that there was a tremendous gap between them; something that had nothing to do with chronology and had more to do with life experience.

Riku peered up into the sky as he answered. "I've lost track of the times. Honestly, I used to come here more often when I first started at the Academy."

"What happened?"

"I got bored, as I do with most things."

Sora looked up into the dark sky that had just moments before been the subject of Riku's gaze. He mulled over Riku's word but felt that the roots of his friend's discontent were grounded somewhere much deeper.

He remembered how cold the green eyes had been when he had told Sora about his mother. Riku had looked to the horizon then, just as he was now, and his gaze had been similarly frozen. Sora thought then about his own warm and comfortable childhood and compared it with Riku's. He imagined a silver-haired little boy sitting at home in solitude, staring out his window as he awaited someone who would never come.

"Maybe you were looking for something," Sora said softly, his gaze fixed on the night sky before he turned toward Riku to gauge his reaction.

He wasn't entirely surprised when he couldn't read his expression, and the sounds of footsteps on the cobbled stone from strolling couples and groups of excited men and women faded into the background beneath the silence that marked Riku's response. Sora thought at first that Riku would turn aside his assertion, ignore it, but then he finally spoke.

"Maybe I've already found it."

Sora turned to look at him but again he could read nothing on his face. Any visible emotion there was cloaked beneath a veil of cool observation. He felt in that moment that he would never fully understand Riku—never understand the meaning beneath his words.

"Come on. Let's go."

Riku took the lead then, directing them toward a building aglow in yellow lights. Aqua eyes that had seemed so distant just moments were now wholly cast into shadow, their depths hard and reflecting no emotion. The intensity of his empty stare caused a shiver to course through Sora.

"What is this place?"

"You'll see." Riku said as he smirked, striding up to the entranceway and into the dark enclosure. He paused for a moment to look back at him in question.

_Are you scared?_ His turquoise eyes seemed to ask tauntingly.

Sora knew this had been his idea. He wouldn't allow himself to be afraid. With determination he turned his thoughts forward, trying to recapture the fascination he had felt upon his first glimpse of this underworld. Nevertheless, apprehension skated up his spine and settled at its base and no amount of reasoning caused it to diminish. He stepped toward Riku and the older boy smiled, his eyes glinting with something both reassuring and dangerous.

_It'll be great._

But somehow the thought rang hollow in his head.

"Don't you trust me?" Riku asked, his head tilted slightly as he held out his hand. Sora swallowed but took another hesitant step forward and placed his hand tentatively into Riku's.

"Yes."

Riku smiled.

* * *

Roxas couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned restlessly, flinging one arm over his head and sprawling his legs outward. The movement pushed the covers down over his thighs and he shivered briefly as the chill of the room penetrated his thin shirt before he tugged them back into place.

A heavy fog lay thickly enough outside that, despite the fact that Twilight Town never reached full dark; the light barely penetrated the haze as it made its way into the room. Hayner was sleeping soundly in the twin bed across from him, an occasional snore issuing from him.

There was no earthly reason he shouldn't be sleeping right now. Roxas was normally a fairly heavy sleeper. Moreover, he was used to falling asleep the moment his head hit the pillow and he wasn't prone to restless movement, the way his brother was.

He wondered worriedly if Sora had made it back to campus okay. He knew that he and Riku had planned on doing a bit of sight-seeing in Radiant Garden. In Roxas's opinion, it was one of Sora's less than bright ideas. Sight-seeing with Riku, of all people.

He had not been at all reassured by Riku's promise to look after his brother. Something in the older boy's eyes had been unsettling, the way he looked at his brother when he said it lacking the expected signs of protectiveness. His gaze had spoken more of possession.

Riku looked at Sora the way a starving man looked at a three-course meal. Roxas was very afraid his naïve older brother was going to be gobbled up. He had wanted to go with them but there was no way it would've been possible to go to Radiant Garden and then make his way back to Twilight Town before the last train left.

The fact that Axel hadn't gone with them either, that he had decided to stay in Twilight Town rather than return with Sora to Radiant Garden, had driven a spike of fear into Roxas's heart. If anything happened to Sora, if Riku did something to him…

He tried to block out his worries, pushing them away with an effort and rolling over on his side. He closed his eyes for a moment but as his lids shut an image of bright narrowed emerald eyes invaded his mind, causing him to once more turn over, shifting onto his stomach.

Axel.

The red-haired older boy had left abruptly after receiving the phone call from his father. He hadn't allowed Roxas to hear what was being said. He'd gotten up from the rocky hill they'd been perched on, giving him a twisted smile before striding off down the narrow strip of beach.

Roxas had returned to his friends but he hadn't been able to concentrate, his thoughts still on Axel, on how the red-head's face had looked when he'd answered the phone, on the bitterness of the smile he'd given to Roxas.

What would cause such concern and antipathy in someone like Axel?

Axel had returned to the group half an hour later, a hard weariness etched into his expression as he explained that he had something to do in town. Sora had argued with him briefly, worried that Axel would get in trouble for not returning to campus but Axel had reassured him sourly that it had been taken care of. His father had already called the school to let them know his son wouldn't be returning for the remainder of the weekend. The acerbic smile he'd given Sora had been a warped version of the one he'd shown to Roxas an hour earlier, the one that had made him almost beautiful.

In truth, it was really none of Roxas's business what was going on with the red-haired senior. If Axel had wanted Roxas to know, he would've told him. Besides, it wasn't as if they were friends.

Roxas scowled at the thought. He didn't even really like Axel. He was too abrasive, too underhanded, too—

He rolled over onto his back and once more flung an arm across his eyes, as if that could shut off his pointless musings.

Still, maybe Axel would tell Sora what had happened. Then Sora would tell him and then he could go back to not caring.

It wasn't as if he really cared now, it was just a little…a little bothersome. But still, no big deal. Really.

Roxas rolled over again, tired of arguing with himself, and after long minutes of agitated movement he finally drifted into a restless and uneasy sleep.

* * *

"Is everything all right, Sora?"

_Sure, why not? I'm in a sex club. Guys are excited by sex clubs. _

"Yeah," he said dispassionately as he looked away from Riku.

A woman moaned as she was penetrated by one more man. She now had two men beside her, one of which was pushing his way between her thighs as he…Sora closed his eyes and turned away. He couldn't help it..

"Sora, stop."

"What? Why?" he asked as he faced Riku. He couldn't make out his expression through the heavy brightness of the colored lights. It was warm, almost unbearably so, and he felt as though he was beginning to suffocate. But more importantly he felt the need to get away.

A crowd of people watched the spectacle with shadowed eyes, some with partners, others not. They reminded him of the animals on Discovery Channel. Hyenas, and vultures, and other scavengers he'd seen on a program about the Pride Lands. Really, all that he'd ever seen of sex had come from there. Until now. He took a few steps away but his arm was grabbed by Riku.

"Where are you going? I told you to stay close." Riku's voice was soft but Sora could sense a desperate undercurrent. He didn't understand.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just…I never thought it could be like this." He hadn't. It was so public and vulgar, and the fact that some people did this in front of others with multiple partners somehow cheapened the act for him.

He had always imagined it differently. Especially for himself.

"Like what?" Riku asked and Sora could read curiosity in his gaze. The older boy had been to this place before, but he didn't seem to be at all affected. He had, in fact, spent the entire time looking at him, as if trying to measure his response. What was he hoping to find?

Sora admitted that originally he had been somewhat fascinated. And his body had been affected; uncomfortably so, he thought, squirming slightly in his seat. But he didn't want what this place had to offer. Should he be honest with Riku?

Sora hesitated before saying. "I always thought…never mind." He shook his head. _I can't say it. _He couldn't. Not with Riku staring at him in that cold and calculating way.

"Tell me."

"No, it sounds stupid and you'll laugh." _You will laugh, and I'll feel embarrassed, because people like you are experienced and..._It wasn't that he was ashamed of how he felt. No, it was actually the opposite. If there was one arena in which he found himself not wanting to compete with Riku, it was this one. Why bother? He knew what he wanted, and this wasn't it.

"I won't laugh. Promise."

"Yeah, you will. I know you." Sora wanted to believe Riku. Especially with the way he was looking at him now.

"I promise not to laugh. I thought you said you trusted me. Was that a lie?"

_Crap._ Sora knew that Riku had shared a part of himself with Sora, a piece of his past. Yet, he couldn't find the words or courage to tell Riku what was on his own mind?

"No, it wasn't." Sora said, gritting his teeth as the woman on stage moaned again. _This sucks._ He shook his head at the double entendre. That piece of flesh was huge and it was currently shoved down her throat.

_I didn't know a woman could bend like that._ He turned away and shuddered. His reaction had nothing to do with pleasure. He felt bad, even though Riku had reassured him before that these women came here for the specific purpose of doing this.

"Fine," Sora said quietly. Riku looked at him expectantly as he crossed his arms. "I just didn't think it could be this way. I always thought that when two people are in love…"

"What?"

"They make love. Or that's the way it should be, at least for me. I want to do this with someone I feel connected to. I don't want it to be meaningless. I don't want to forget." Sora wanted Riku to understand. Suddenly, more than anything, it seemed the most important thing in the world that he did.

"I see."

Sora couldn't read his companion's expression. There was nothing there to read. "Do you think it's stupid?"

"No."

"Oh. Okay. What about you?"

Riku's eyes visibly narrowed. "What about me?"

"What do you think about this?" Sora turned once more toward the stage, grimacing as he gestured to it. His clothes were sticking to him uncomfortably and he closed his eyes but that didn't help. Nothing could block out the sounds coming from the front of the room or the panting readiness of the crowd as they watched.

"I don't think anything. I'm not like you, Sora. It _is _meaningless and I _do_ forget. But it's not because I want to. Not anymore."

"Riku—" Sora started, but Riku waved his hand and cut him off as he spoke.

"It's all right, Sora. Look around you. This is the way it is."

"No, it's not. Not if you don't want it to be."

Riku's lips turned up at the corners into that familiar smirk. There was no humor in his eyes, however.

"I do envy you sometimes, Sora. You and your naïve optimism. Your sense of what's right. You're so oblivious to reality."

"That's not fair."

"In case you hadn't noticed, Sora, life isn't fair."

Anger and frustration mingled together then inside of him. Why was this so hard? To make Riku understand, to see that it didn't have to be this way. What had happened to Riku to make him become this…bitter boy?

Sora turned toward him and scowled. "Yeah, maybe not. But just because I have a viewpoint that isn't your own pessimistic one, doesn't mean that it doesn't hold some truth. You say that you want to change but you don't even try. You surround yourself with things that are bad, so what do you expect to find? You set yourself up, Riku. Your reality is this way because you want it to be."

"I didn't say I wanted to change."

"What?" He asked as he tried to hear Riku over the moaning woman in the background. It was too much. The smoke, the smell of sex, and the press of the crowd…he felt suffocated. But he could have handled if it hadn't been for Riku's expression. It was utterly devoid of emotion, as if something sharp and hard-edged had scraped any trace of it away. Sora shivered under his regard.

"I never said that I wanted to change. That was your interpretation."

"But don't you?"

Riku was silent as he simply studied him in that calculating way. But there was something hidden in the aqua depths and, had it been anyone else but Riku, Sora would have called it sadness.

_I have to get out of here._ The club was smoky and hot, and all of a sudden it was all too much. He shook his head as he swallowed. Riku just didn't understand. He kept misinterpreting his words, twisting them to mean something they didn't. And he hadn't been mistaken. There was more than just a trace of melancholy in the older boy's expression but for once Sora didn't know how to handle it. Not with his own emotions so close to the surface. He needed space.

"Where are you going?" Riku asked as Sora stood up.

"I don't know. To the bathroom, I guess."

"Are you mad?"

Sora looked back at Riku. He looked concerned and Sora felt it weigh down on his chest as sadness once more made its home there.

"No. It's just, you gotta think positive. Surround yourself with things that are good for you."

Riku looked at him dubiously. "Yeah, I guess."

Sora leaned over and tried to smile. "You don't look so sure."

"That's because I'm not."

Sora shook his head and began to move away toward the back of the room where he was sure the bathrooms were located but a sudden hand around his wrist stopped him. He looked around at Riku expectantly.

"Wait, Sora?"

"Yes?" he asked, feeling only slightly guilty for needing to distance himself from Riku. It wasn't just him, though. It was everything. The whole club made him uncomfortable. Had this conversation been under different circumstances, he would have stayed.

The hand around his wrist tightened for an instant before it let go completely. "Nothing. I'll tell you when you come back."

"Sure."

And with that Sora moved away. The hot press of people around him felt closer than ever and he stifled another grimace. This night had not gone the way he'd thought it would. He had been hoping to find some common middle ground with Riku. Furthermore, he had hoped that he could share something of himself with his former rival—to perhaps attain some mutual understanding. Instead he felt more distanced from Riku than ever.

He narrowly dodged a groping hand as he made his way through the crowd of people and tried to close his ears to the sounds coming from around him. Out of the corners of his eyes he saw people pawing at one another, aroused by the performance on stage.

He hadn't been ready for this. He was fairly certain that he would never be.

He finally reached the narrow corridor that he was sure led to the bathrooms and breathed a sigh of relief. The air was cooler here, felt less close. He turned around a corner and passed by a pair of men coming toward him. He didn't pay attention to who they were or even look up. He didn't care. He just wanted to escape.

He missed the two sets of green eyes narrowed on him and was surprised when one of them grabbed his arm.

"Well, look what I found, Loz. Riku's little boyfriend."

Sora felt the second man come up from behind him; felt the warm presence of him against his back. Then there was a sharp pain at the back of his skull and his last thought before darkness closed over him was

_Riku._

* * *

Riku felt a sense of foreboding. He had felt it since they had gotten there.

This was a mistake.

The thought had been circling in his head all night and no matter how often he tried to shrug it away it didn't matter. He hadn't liked seeing the sadness in Sora's eyes. He had never wanted that. And it was only now that he realized how unsuited Sora was to all of this.

Long minutes passed and Riku could feel his tension rise. It had nothing to do with the increasing gasps from on stage or from the panting crowd around him. It had everything to do with the fact that Sora wasn't back yet. What could be taking him so long?

Riku stirred restlessly, looking around but he couldn't spot Sora's short mane of brown spikes. Not that he would've been able to, anyway. Sora was far too short to be seen over such a crowd. He cursed beneath his breath and began making his way toward the back of the room in the direction that Sora had gone, but something caught his eye. Some_one_. A man with shoulder-length silver hair similar to his own.

Kadaj.

He was smiling at him, and the malice behind the expression was evident.

Riku's blood turned to ice. He knew in that moment that Kadaj had something to do with why Sora hadn't yet returned from the bathroom. His hands clenched into fists as rage and adrenaline began to pour through him. _Sora_.

Fear for Sora filled him; that, along with anger combined to have him seeing everything in a red haze. He charged forward, intent upon the man who had caused it.

Kadaj was retreating into a narrow corridor and Riku's steps didn't falter as he stalked toward him. He finally caught the other man as he turned the corner, grabbing him by the shirt then slamming him into the nearest wall.

* * *

"Where's Sora?"

Hands fisted themselves in Kadaj's clothing, jerking him back as they slammed him against the wall. Eyes a shade lighter than his own flashed at him in contempt and he could see his own smirking reflection staring back at him from their depths.

His silver hair fell into his face and he flipped it back with a slight shake of his head, giving a disdainful smile to the boy holding his collar. The grip on his shirt tightened, causing the fabric to twist around his neck and he came uncomfortably close to choking. His breath wheezed in an out of him in unsteady pants.

Still, it was worth it just to see the look on Riku's face. That particular expression was all he'd hoped to see on this boy, this son of Sephiroth. The thought caused him to sneer through the lack of oxygen.

"I saw you with him," he said with a scornful curl of his lip.

"You were watching us," Riku spat back angrily.

How like his father he was. So like him, yet so different. Sephiroth's anger was always icy, no matter the circumstances, no matter the provocation, the man never lost his cool, never batted an eyelash. Still, he had a temper similar to his son's. But unlike Sephiroth, Riku more often ran hot than cold. Probably something he had received from his common whore of a mother.

Kadaj was usually one for pretense, and had he the time, he would have drawn this out to its greatest length. But there was someone important he had to meet. His employer would be eager to hear how Riku had fallen into his web.

"How could I not? You looked so unlike yourself. The fact that you showed up at all…"

"Means nothing. Listen here, Kadaj. I don't care about whatever lame revenge scheme you have planned. If you have a problem with Sephiroth, take it up with him, but fuck with me or mine, and I will make sure that your life is spent shitting piss out of your ass in prison."

The threat tasted bitter in Kadaj's mind as fear began to crumble his resolve. Maybe this had been an error in judgment. Vengeance was all fine and good, and he'd more than anticipated finding retribution by using Riku, but…he was turning out to be more of a pain than he'd expected. He should have predicted this outcome. The boy's father was, after all, the biggest pain in the ass he'd ever had the misfortune to deal with. Still, it seemed the pretty brunet boy meant more to Riku than he he'd thought.

How wonderful. He could bide his time. For now.

"I'm not scared of your empty—"

A fist tore into his face violently, felling him to the floor. He lay on the hard wood; prone mercilessly there while the metallic taste of blood invaded his mouth.

Kadaj dizzily saw Riku bend over him and he struggled not to choke on the blood flooding his mouth.

"Where?" The boy's eyes were narrow slits of rage and in that moment Kadaj was certain Riku was going to kill him.

"Loz and Yazoo…they—"

He felt Riku bend down and search through his pockets until he found his phone. He was hazily aware of Riku flipping it open. Kadaj knew what he was looking for. The phone had a GPS tracking system that was connected to both his brothers.

His vision was blurred and he knew it to be one of the beginning symptoms of a concussion but he tried to ignore it as he sat up.

"You're of no use to me now. Not that you ever were. It's really no wonder Sephiroth disowned you," Riku said contemptuously, tossing the phone derisively onto Kadaj's chest.

He hated the way those turquoise eyes looked at him, as if he was someone to be pitied, something less than human. He'd seen Riku on many occasions, in this same club, groping at the whores at his side. Despite the physical similarities, he was really nothing like Sephiroth. Riku was a useless replication that would never reach the heights his father had. He wanted to hurt him, jab a hole so deep that it would echo his own pain.

Just as Riku was leaving he taunted him from his position on the floor. "You think you're so different from me, Riku? Look at where you are! In my company, as you've been on many occasions, even if only incidentally. _You _brought that boy here. _You_ are responsible for what happens to him."

Riku paused at the doorway, not turning to face him, before leaving the room and shutting the door with a hard slam behind him. But Kadaj sensed that he had succeeded in causing a fracture in Riku's self-confidence. Someday, perhaps soon, that crack would shatter him.

Kadaj would make sure of it.

He knew Riku's weakness now. The thought made him smile through the blood filling his mouth.

His benefactor, the power behind the underworld of Radiant Garden, would be here soon. Sephiroth had become a pain in both of their respective sides and his boss would be greatly entertained to hear what had happened tonight. Kadaj stood up and busied himself, straightening his clothing and spitting blood onto the floor before wiping at his mouth.

_Riku. Sephiroth._

Neither Sephiroth nor his son had any idea who they were dealing with, and Kadaj found that he almost pitied them.

Almost.

* * *

Sora woke to a hard slap against his cheek. His eyes shot open at the sharp stinging sensation. The feeling was unpleasant but what was worse was that he had no idea where he was.

"Rise and shine, pretty little boy."

The voice cooed at him from above and Sora realized that he was lying prone on hard cement. He blinked into narrow green eyes surrounded by long silver hair and for an instant he thought it was Riku standing over him, thought that Riku had been the one to slap him. But then his vision finally focused on the face and he saw that the features were more delicate than Riku's; prettier but somehow harder.

Sora gingerly sat up and swallowed. His head hurt and he felt a bit dizzy. He lifted a hand to tentatively touch the hard bump at the base of his skull and winced at the tenderness of it.

"Where am I," he whispered and a second voice from behind him laughed.

"Look Yazoo. Riku's little boyfriend is confused."

Sora tried to turn his head to catch a glimpse of the second man but he was stopped by a hand under his chin. The pretty one—Yazoo, the second voice had called him—was squatted down beside Sora and was squeezing his face between his fingers.

"Well, we'll have to clear things up for him, won't we, Loz?"

The braying laugh once again came from behind him and Sora's jaw tightened.

"Listen, I don't know who the hell you guys are but—"

His words were cut off by another ringing slap only this time Yazoo used his closed fist. Sora felt his lower lip instantly begin to swell as he tasted blood.

"Now, now. You want to be polite to us. You really do."

Yazoo leaned forward and kissed Sora lightly on the mouth and it was all he could do not to draw away in revulsion. The older boy—for really he couldn't have been more than a few years older than Sora—leaned back and licked his lips, Sora's blood clearly staining his mouth. He made a pleased humming sound and Sora struggled not to show him a reaction.

_Where's Riku?_

It was the only thing he could think when Yazoo leaned in to caress his cheek.

"Has he fucked you yet?"

The question shocked Sora and he was momentarily confused.

"Who?" he asked warily, bracing himself for another one of those close-handed slaps.

"Why, Riku of course."

"Riku?" Sora's confusion deepened. "You know Riku?"

Yazoo gave a light laugh and Sora once again had to fight to keep from moving away. The other boy's hand was still lazily caressing his cheek.

"Didn't I say so before? That's why you're here after all."

"I'm here because of Riku?" Sora's bewildered question was answered by another slap and this one was harder than the last one. He felt his cheek blaze red and the inside of his mouth cut against his teeth.

"Now, now, pretty. I'm the one asking questions here. Has he fucked you yet?"

Sora swallowed another mouthful of blood and he fought not to wince. Something told him that to show weakness in front of these two would have very bad consequences.

Squall.

He closed his eyes and thought, for the first time in hours, of the older boy back at the Academy. Of how safe he had always felt in his presence. He willed himself back to the present with an effort and faced Yazoo.

"No." Sora still wasn't sure exactly what these men wanted from him but for right now he needed to play along, to bide his time.

"You're not lying to me, are you, pretty one?" The caressing hand was back, only this time the touch was harder, causing pain to streak through his already blazing cheek.

"No," Sora gritted out, trying to remain still. "Our relationship isn't like that. We're just friends."

The braying laugh came from behind him again. Loz—that was what the other one had called him, leaned down and spoke into Sora's ear. "Riku doesn't have friends. He has followers and people he fucks. You don't strike me as one of his little fans which means you must fall into the other category."

Yazoo smiled across from him. "Oh, we all saw the way he was looking at you. If he hasn't fucked you yet, he will. You can bet on that."

Sora glared. He wanted to argue but he knew that it would be stupid—stupid and pointless and probably only cause him more pain. So he just clenched his jaw and ignored them as he tried to figure out a means of escape.

"Can bet on what, Yazoo?" The question came from the doorway to his right. It was only then that Sora realized that they were outside the club in some kind of alley.

Sora stared as the figure came toward them out of the shadows. _Riku._

Loz stood suddenly moving toward him, and Sora tensed.

"Don't get any ideas," Yazoo said from in front of him but he didn't listen. Sora punched him as hard as he could in the face.

He didn't wait to see how much damage he had done but instantly rose to his feet. As he finally stood he was grabbed from behind and forced into a head-lock. He struck out, trying to punch the stomach of Loz who had come to his companion's rescue but Sora could feel that he hadn't made a dent. His fist probably hurt worse than Loz's stomach.

Suddenly the arms around him loosened as Loz dropped to the ground in front of him, apparently unconscious. Riku stood over him, his stance tense and ready. What Riku had hit him with, Sora had no idea but before he could say anything a sudden kick to his knee had him crying out.

Sora crashed to the ground as he heard Riku yell his name. Yazoo had managed to get to his feet and stood above him as Sora rolled over clutching his knee. He gritted his teeth against the pain and with great effort sat up; slamming his fist will all the power he could muster into Yazoo's groin. The silver-haired man gave a pained gasp and crumpled to the ground.

Sora struggled to rise, hissing at the throbbing ache in his knee as he finally managed it. Riku came to stand beside him, looking down at Yazoo who was still wheezing in pain and clutching himself. Riku laughed lightly, flipping his hair back as he put a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Nice work, Sora. Remind me not to get you mad."

"Too late," Sora ground out and Riku chuckled.

Riku then leaned down over the still gasping Yazoo and put his foot on his chest. "If you ever, _ever_ come near me or Sora again, I will kill you. Believe it." He turned around and gestured to Sora.

"Come on. Let's get out of here."

Sora had a ton of questions—why these two had come after him, how Riku knew them and why they apparently hated him so much—but despite the rush of adrenaline, the pain in his knee was reaching agonizing heights. And they still had a long way to go to get back to the Academy. The thought almost made him groan.

Sora was limping heavily by the time they reached the Academy's campus but instead of accepting help, which Riku had offered numerous times since they had escaped the Red Light District, Sora insisted upon walking without any aid.

_Idiot._

Riku was uncertain whether he was directing the name at Sora or himself. There was no doubt that the night had gone nothing like he had planned. He had wanted to show Sora a different world, to open him to new possibilities and show him the perfectly bright world in which he had lived his entire life hid a wealth of intriguing surprises. He had been sure that something so completely unfamiliar would appeal to someone with Sora's curious and outgoing nature.

The glitter had faded from that world for Riku long ago but with Sora at his side he had been hoping to see it through new eyes, to steal a little of Sora's innocence for himself.

Well, he had gotten his wish, he though bitterly. He had definitely stolen some of Sora's innocence. He hadn't, however, succeeded at seeing anything new through Sora's eyes. If anything, Sora's eyes had reflected a combination of bewildered confusion and stony disillusionment. The mixed expression had been disturbing on someone so sweet-natured and joyful.

Throughout the long hours of the evening, Riku had witnessed Sora's stunned expression. His mouth, so mobile in its expressiveness, had turned down at the corners, and his summer eyes hadn't been able hide his inner flinching of things Riku had learned to ignore long ago—the underage prostitutes, the men and women who sought oblivion in drinking, gambling, and whoring.

Riku turned then to look at him, not sure what he expected to see in his face, but his expression was tense in concentration, presumably in an effort to stay upright. His pale features were visibly bruised even under the heavy shadows of deep midnight.

_He_ had done this, was responsible for the marring of Sora's clean and simple beauty.

"Sora," he whispered. He hadn't expected that the brunet would hear him, but he turned to look at Riku, his sapphire eyes both piercing and questioning, his lips tilting up into a small smile. It was just a shadow of his usual one. Still, it was better than nothing.

"Yeah?"

Riku should've felt relieved that Sora hadn't yet tried to take his head off after what had almost happened. But he didn't feel relieved. He felt sad because he knew that he deserved it.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sora?"

His brow furrowed in irritation and his bruised lower lip jutted into a pugnacious pout. "I told you I'm fine, Riku. I get worse than this when I spar with Roxas. Seriously, it's no big deal."

Riku scowled dubiously back at him but Sora deliberately ignored his glare, turning away and straightening his spine, obviously trying not to favor his right side as he'd been doing.

Traversing the tunnel took longer this time, mostly because Riku was forced to watch Sora limp slowly but determinedly down the dimly lit corridor. He saw Sora wince as he took another step, biting down on his lower lip as he did so. He had, however, forgotten that his mouth was also injured, purple and swollen as it was, and he hissed slightly as his teeth bit into the sensitive and bruised skin.

There was no doubt that Sora was a mess. His shirt was ripped at the collar and down through the sleeve: it dangled precariously from his shoulder like a rag. The back of his shorts was caked with mud and something that smelled like a combination of garbage and vomit, probably something he had picked up when he had fallen in the back alley, when two of the triplets had tried to—

As Sora winced once more, Riku had finally had enough and moved to the younger boy's side, wrapping his arm tightly around Sora's waist to help brace his weight. The brunet looked up at him in startled surprise.

His inquiring look melted into a scowl and he opened his mouth to protest but Riku cut him off.

"Forget it, Sora. It'll take us all night to reach the dorms at the rate you're going." Riku was careful to keep any hint of pity out of his voice. He knew Sora well enough by now to realize that he didn't like to show weakness, especially to someone like him—someone who had taunted him, ridiculed him.

Riku swallowed down his regret and tightened his grip around the small waist as Sora placed his arm reluctantly around his shoulders. Their height difference made the going awkward but at least Sora wasn't wincing after every step.

Riku smirked bitterly at the irony of finally having Sora underneath his arm. It was not, by any stretch of the imagination, the way he would've wanted it. Once upon a time he wouldn't have cared how the ends were accomplished, as long as got what he wanted. But that was before—before Sora. The cynical smile deepened as he thought that his whole life should be marked that way: Before Sora, After Sora.

"Stop it, Riku," Sora said quietly.

"Stop what?"

"Stop feeling guilty," the younger boy clarified. "It was my idea to go into Hollow Bastion in the first place."

"Hollow Bastion?" Riku asked in confusion.

"Yeah, Hollow Bastion. It's what Radiant Garden used to be called."

"Where did you hear that?"

Sora shrugged as his brow furrowed in thought. "I don't remember. I must've heard it somewhere."

Riku frowned. His thoughts were still on Sora's statement earlier that none of this was his fault. He shook his head at Sora's naivety. He had maneuvered him into the position of entering the Red Light District, had made it seem to Sora that if he didn't, he would forever be branded a coward and unsophisticated hayseed. Unsophisticated Sora may have been, but cowardly he was not. He had proven that tonight, putting up a fight then limping back to the Academy without hysterics or protest.

"I said stop it," Sora hissed into his ear and Riku looked down at him.

Sora's swollen lower lip was once more protruding into its customary pout and if not for its injured state, Riku might have been tempted to lean down and suck it into his own mouth. Riku thought wryly that Sora hadn't changed him that much. If not for his injuries, he would surely have taken advantage of the opportunity.

They finally reached the end of the narrow tunnel and Sora shivered beneath his arm as a heavy draft infiltrated his thin ripped shirt and passed over his bare legs. He was still wearing the swim trunks he had been wearing at the beach, not at all suitable for the chilly night air of Radiant Garden.

Riku breathed out a sigh as they reached the elevator that would take them to the second floor. Somehow, now that they had almost reached their destination, Riku felt anxiety pierce him. Once Sora got back to his room, once he had time to think, would he blame Riku? Would they go back to being enemies and would Sora still see him as a villain?

The sad thing was that he couldn't deny the truth behind it. He _was_ a villain. Sora didn't know yet the measures he had taken to get rid of Kairi, and now that he knew him, was more familiar with Sora's idealism, he feared the consequences of what he'd done.

Even now, he couldn't really bring himself to regret it. Kairi would've interfered with any possible friendship they might have developed and would definitely have protested anything beyond that. He knew he hadn't been mistaken about her interest in Sora and if the brunet had to choose, he was certain that Sora would pick Kairi's friendship over his own.

Of course, it had only been a day since Sora and he had managed to establish something beyond the rivalry that had characterized their relationship since they had met. He still had time.

If Sora would give it to him. Only one thing was certain in Riku's mind. He wanted Sora. Period. Whatever he had to do, whatever he had to be—Riku wanted the beautiful boy beside him to be _his_.

The elevator finally reached the second floor and Riku moved to Sora's side once again, wrapping his arm around his waist. This time Sora didn't stiffen but leaned heavily into him. Riku was certain it was because Sora was tired rather than for any romantic reason; still, he savored the feel of him tucked so closely against his side. He wasn't certain he'd have another opportunity like this one.

Riku reached the heavy wooden door that lead back to the dorms, propping it open slightly before he looked down at the younger boy. Sora was panting and exhausted from trying to keep his weight off his right side and his eyes were heavy-lidded in fatigue. Riku again felt the heavy pangs of guilt eating away at his heart. The feeling was so unfamiliar that it had taken him awhile to identify it.

"Well, it looks like you made it back in one piece. Barely."

The familiar sarcastic voice came from Riku's right as they stepped fully into the carpeted corridor. He turned slowly, staring directly into accusing narrowed gray eyes. _Leon_.

* * *

Squall couldn't recall the last time he had been this angry. Sora was a mess; a bruised and battered mess, his clothes torn, blood seeping from a gaping cut on one knee. His blue eyes were wide and exhausted beneath spiky brown bangs that drooped across his forehead. Riku, on the other hand, seemed completely untouched aside from the slightly windblown tangle of silver hair that swept down to his shoulders.

Sora tried to straighten himself, moving away from where he'd been leaning against Riku's side. A flagrant blush worked its way onto his cheeks, all the more noticeable because his face was pale beneath his tan.

Instead of letting him go, Riku hugged Sora closer to him. The proprietary way he had his arm wrapped around the brunet's waist had Squall's blood boiling in his veins and his heart beating hard at his temple.

Riku's gaze was direct and challenging. He tossed his silver hair away from his face, ignoring Sora's struggle to push away.

"Hello, Leon." Riku's voice was flat, his face expressionless.

For a moment longer there was silence. Then Sora's loud whisper to Riku broke it. He pushed hard at Riku's chest.

"Let go. I can stand on my own."

Riku squeezed his waist tightly once before he reluctantly withdrew his arm and Sora hopped once in place to get his balance. He couldn't hide a slight wince as he placed weight on his right leg.

"S-Squall, I…" Sora said and then trailed off, as if struggling to come up with some excuse. There was none however and both he and Squall knew it.

"Go back to your room, Sora. Now." Squall had to fight to keep his voice steady, to keep the anger out of it.

Goddamnit, he had never wanted to care this way again. He had never meant to. Even as Sora had become part of his nightly fantasies, he had never thought it would go any further than that. Worrying about his safety during the duel had been one thing. Sora was a student, a young one at that, and it was his job to look out for him.

But now—now he couldn't pretend. It was intolerable. He didn't want this; he didn't want Sora in his life, messing up the measure of peace he had struggled so hard over the last year and a half to gain. It was going to end _now_ before it went any further.

"But Squall, I don't—"

"Don't have any common sense, apparently. This is not the time to be arguing with me, Sora. You broke at least a dozen school rules today. If I was any kind of dorm leader, I would report you. Lucky for you, I know a bit about your situation. You're on scholarship here, aren't you, Sora?"

Sora's eyes widened, at the severity of Squall's tone or the question, he didn't know. He didn't care. Anger still pulsed through him making it hard for him to think.

"Wait a minute, Leon. This is my fault. I'm the one who—" Riku started to say but Squall cut him off.

"Shut up, Riku. You're in just as much trouble as he is. You're both lucky it was me who found out about this and not one of the other dorm leaders."

He was more than aware of how much of this Riku was responsible for. _Never_ _again_, Squall thought, clenching his jaw as he tried to hold back an angry tirade of words.

Sora swallowed hard before he started to speak. "But I didn't mean to—"

"The intent of your action means nothing. If administration found out about this, your ass would be out of here faster than you could say 'fencing scholarship'. I warned you before about consequences! God help you, if you ever do it again, I will exercise everything in my power to make sure you don't step another foot on this campus. Am I clear?"

Riku was silent through the exchange; his confused and angry gaze moving from Sora's stricken expression to Squall's seething one.

Sora swallowed hard and for a moment Squall was certain he saw tears in the bright blue of his eyes before he blinked hastily and bowed his head.

"Yes, Squall."

"The name is Leon, Sora. Don't forget it."

Sora's head shot up and his mouth dropped open in hurt disbelief. Perhaps that had been a bit cruel but Squall was past the point of caring. He had been up all night, pacing and waiting and worrying. It was _intolerable_.

"Here," he snapped, shoving a potion into Sora's hand. "Drink that and then go to bed. If I hear even one peep out of you, it's over."

Sora bit his lip, not realizing that the action caused blood to seep from the cut there. The sight caused something in Squall's chest to tighten.

_No!_ He wasn't going to give in to pity. Or to that damnable urge that had him wanting to put his arms around Sora, to reassure him everything would be all right. _Goddamnit!_

Sora popped the top of the potion and drank it down hastily. He coughed once and grimaced before gingerly trying to place weight on his right leg. He must have been more injured than Squall could see. Potions worked on the worst hurts first, the more shallow ones last, and the cuts and bruises on Sora's face were still there. If he had been only slightly hurt, the wounds on his face would have cleared right away.

_What the hell happened?_

Squall's gaze shot to Riku who was now studying Sora with narrowed eyes. He was going to get some answers. But not with Sora there. It was time he and Riku had a talk. A conversation between them had been a long time coming.

"Do you need another one?"

Squall tried to keep his voice dispassionate and he must have succeeded because Sora's face was still the blank mask it had been when he had shoved the potion at him. Something inside him hurt at the utter emptiness of Sora's expression but Squall did his best to ignore the painful twinge. He had to deal with Riku first.

"No. I'm fine."

"Take another one, Sora." Riku placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder but Sora shrugged it off, moving away. Riku's face dropped at Sora's action but then an emotionless mask fell into place, hiding any emotion there.

Sora didn't notice. He was too busy staring unseeingly at the wall in front of him.

"I said I'm fine. Goodnight, Leon. Riku."

Sora looked briefly at Riku, just a slight flicker of blue, before he began to walk away. He hadn't even bothered sparing a glance for Squall.

Not that he blamed him. Not after the dressing down he had given him. Still, Squall couldn't deny the slight sting he felt, or the sinking in his stomach when Sora had called him Leon. He had ordered him to call him that, after all. What had he expected?

"I'll see you tomorrow," Riku said to Sora's back.

_Over my dead body, _Squall thought. If he had his way, Riku would only see Sora from a distance from now on. From a _great_ distance.

Sora didn't acknowledge Riku's statement; instead, he walked faster down the hallway until he was almost running. _Sora_…

A part of Squall wanted badly to go after him, to run his hands over Sora's body to make sure he was really alright—that and to beat him within an inch of his life for making his worry the way that he had. And that was why it was better that he stayed away. Nothing good could come from their relationship.

Riku and Squall both watched until his retreating back passed out of sight around the corner and then they turned to face one another.

Riku's stare was challenging but there was something in his eyes that hadn't been there before tonight. Some hint of shame.

_Good._

He was going to do everything he could to take advantage of that. The one thing Squall was going to do before he cut himself off from Sora was to make sure he was safe.

_I owe him that much. _

* * *

Despite the fog of the previous night (if it could be called that in Twilight Town), the next day dawned bright and clear. The sky was streaked in a bright wash of pink and gold, and only the tiniest of clouds dotted the horizon. Roxas thought about how different the sunset was in Destiny Islands, how instead of pinks of golds, the sky around his home was painted in shades of red and orange with the occasional purple seeping through. Although purple usually meant a storm was on the way.

Roxas shuddered. That was one thing he didn't miss about the Islands. His father had died in a storm and although he didn't remember him well, the knowledge of how the catastrophe had taken him away was enough to cause him more than just a casual dislike of the phenomenon.

With an effort he turned his thoughts away from home and back to the present. He wasn't sure what he was doing in T-Town. He had a pile of homework to do and he had promised to meet Olette in the library later to complete their English assignment. In light of that, it was stupid that he had hopped the train into downtown. Still, sea-salt ice cream was reason enough. There was nothing like it back home.

Really, he was becoming quite proficient at lying to himself. He knew why he was here. And it was most definitely for the dumbest of reasons.

Still, he couldn't help from looking around, from trying to spot a mane of red spikes. Axel was supposed to be in Twilight Town the rest of the weekend and that meant that at some point in the day he was likely to appear downtown. If he didn't decide to stay holed up in whatever house his father lived in.

Roxas frowned at the thought. His budget was pretty limited despite working all last summer. Just the tuition for Twilight Town's Academy had cost him more than half of what he'd made and the books and school supplies were another chunk from of his savings. That left him with barely enough to scrape by on the rest of the semester. He was probably going to have to cave and find a job somewhere in Twilight Town. The cost of the trip into town had not been a bright idea in view of that.

He looked down at his ice cream and sighed as he gave it another lick. Practicality served no purpose when it came to his favorite sweet.

Roxas looked around again. The bench he was sitting on was in the heart of the Market District. The place was practically empty now, still too early in the day to draw more than the occasional shopper and the stores were working with skeleton crews, as late in the tourist season as it was.

Roxas sighed as he sucked the last of the ice cream into his mouth, licking the sticky remains from his fingers before wiping them on his shorts. He tossed the left over stick into a nearby receptacle but as he did a sudden flash of red out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned around fully to see Axel making his way up the hill toward Station Heights. Roxas leapt from his seat on the bench, hastily grabbing for his skateboard before following him.

_What am I doing?_

He had no idea what he would say to Axel once he confronted him. This came pretty close to stalking in his book, something he had never been reduced to. The thought almost made him turn around, almost caused him to get on his skateboard and go back to the Academy campus where he belonged.

But curiosity stopped him. Curiosity—something he and Sora had in common. More often than not it led them both into trouble.

Roxas held his skateboard beneath his arm, not sure why he wasn't riding it but some inner voice told him not to let Axel know he was there. He wanted to know where he was going, what had made him act the way he had the day before.

Roxas sped up as he saw Axel pass around a corner into a back alley. He cursed under his breath as he tripped slightly over a crack in the sidewalk, quickening his pace until he was running. He rounded the corner and slammed into something hard, bouncing off of it and barely managing to stay on his feet.

An arm reached out and steadied him and it was only then that he realized that he had crashed into a person. He opened his mouth to apologize but he was left speechless as he looked up into narrowed green eyes. The emerald orbs were alight with anger and something else, something that Roxas couldn't define.

"What are doing here?" Axel hissed, pulling on his arm and gripping it so tightly Roxas was sure he was going to have bruises the next day.

"I was—I saw you and I thought…"

"You thought what? That I needed a tag-along? A little stalker? Listen, kid, I don't care what you thought. You were fun to play with for a while but I've got larger fish to fry. So forgive me if I throw you back in the water."

Roxas lifted his chin, ignoring the pang of hurt in his chest. He didn't care what Axel thought of him. He'd known this was a stupid idea to begin with.

"What are you so afraid of, Axel? Afraid that I'm going to find out you've been dealing drugs? Or maybe you've been—"

"Get the hell outta here!" Axel gritted between clenched teeth as he looked around desperately.

Roxas frowned in confusion. Axel didn't look angry now. He looked scared. Scared for Roxas, if his anxious hold on his arm was any indication.

But what would cause Axel, know-it-all and king of the _savoir-faire_, to have that kind of fear? He wasn't so sure he wanted to stick around and find out but he didn't want to leave Axel here either.

"Come on, let's go," Roxas said, pulling away from the redhead and tilting his head toward the alley entrance.

"What?" Axel asked, bewildered.

"I said, let's go."

Roxas tapped his foot impatiently then thought _fuck it_ and began walking toward the entrance. He spared a glance for the redhead over his shoulder to see if he was following but Axel was still standing, frozen, looking at him with a perplexed expression; that and something more. Once again that indefinable _something_ was present in his eyes. Whatever it was caused Roxas to shiver. He had never been looked at like that before and the unfamiliarity of it left him feeling unnerved.

When Axel walked toward him and placed his hand once more on his arm, Roxas instinctively moved away and looked up at him irritably. There was only so much manhandling he was willing to take.

"Jesus, you really are as thick as your brother." Axel shook his head and sighed, running his hands through his spikes in aggravation.

Roxas ignore that in favor of asking the question that had been on his mind since the day before.

"What's going on, Axel?"

"Listen, pipsqueak. Just because I paid a little attention to you yesterday doesn't mean I owe you an explanation for—"

"Cut the bullshit, Axel. You and I both know this goes further than your gigantic ego, so just stop. What have you gotten yourself into?"

"What're you gonna do? You gonna save me?"

Axel's words were sarcastic but there was that hint of desperation once again in his eyes. It screamed at Roxas to _save me, save me, save me._ It woke that part of him that Sora had in spades, but that only came to Roxas at rare times and with rare people. It was the urge to protect, to defend, to _save_.

"Tell me. Tell me what's going on." Roxas said quietly.

Axel looked undecided for a moment before a steely determination replaced the expression. When Roxas looked once more into his eyes he was met with an opaque green wall. Axel had shut him out.

"Go home, Roxas. Forget you ever saw me. Hell, forget you ever met me." Axel laughed and the bitterness in it was sharp enough to cut. Roxas flinched away for an instant as his chest tightened uncomfortably. Why did he even care?

"Axel—"

"Well, well, well. It looks like you made a new friend, Axel. And here I was almost sure you didn't have any. Really, you must introduce us."

The voice was soft and sibilant and came from behind him. Something sinister lay beneath the words. Roxas swallowed hard before he glanced up to gauge Axel's reaction, but the same stony look was on the redhead's face, obscuring any emotion. His expression showed only the twisted travesty of a smile.

"Hello, Saix."

* * *

Despite what Squall thinks, there are tutoring sessions coming up in the very imminent future so don't worry! Lucky for us, Squall has no say in it! We are the gods of their world and hence there is no free will. Poor Squall.

Now stop and please take a moment to review!


	9. Unexpected

It's been awhile and for that we truly apologize. We haven't left the site nor have we quit the KH fandom. Life just has a bad habit of getting in the way-either that or writers' block, which I'll admit, struck more than a few times during this chapter. We love you guys, especially all of you who have remained faithful to RiSo and the KH fandom in general. Thank you so much for all of your support.

* * *

Roxas's morning began normally enough: fumble around searching for the snooze button that would turn off the alarm blaring loudly and annoyingly in his right ear; stagger hopelessly in vain looking for some decently clean clothing; take a shower hot enough to scald and hopefully wake him up sufficiently so that he didn't kill himself with caffeine overload as an alternative, and then go to class.

Unfortunately those were the last reaches of normal for his Monday. Because sitting in the last row of his class was Axel—Axel, who had disappeared with that creep, Saix, on Sunday morning and who he hadn't seen or spoken to since—who had gone from the carelessly insouciant jackass that he knew, to a hard brittle stranger whose wit had been sharp enough to cut himself on.

There was no mistaking those fire-engine red spikes offset by smirking emerald eyes, or the black combat boots tapping restlessly on the cold tile of the classroom floor. He did a double take, then took a third look, longer than the first two just to make sure that he wasn't imagining things—or perhaps caught in one of his alternate universe dreams in which he found himself naked and hideously embarrassed for everyone to see.

He debated for an endless second whether the intelligent move would be to take his customary seat near the front of the class or whether he should just confront Axel head on—ask him what the hell he was doing there and why he felt it necessary to torment him with his presence.

He had just convinced himself that it was smarter to act as if nothing had changed, to go sit on the left side of the classroom closest to the window where he could peer out when History inevitably grew boring—but then Axel's smirk grew, as if he knew what Roxas was thinking—the smirk called Roxas a coward, challenged him to take the empty seat next to him or run from him, as taking a seat near the front would be construed. So he pugnaciously set his jaw and marched up the aisle, determined to make Axel regret the choice.

He slid into the seat next to him and dropped his bag to the floor with a hard smack then turned to face the redhead.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Despite his determination to remain calm his voice came out little more than a hiss.

"Why, Roxas, good morning to you too. How was your weekend? Did you sleep well?" Axel wasn't even trying to hide his amusement at the situation and Roxas could feel his temper flaring hotly to life.

"What the hell—" He couldn't even finish the sentence this time, he was so thrown off-kilter and—well, flabbergasted didn't even begin to cover it.

"It's a new day and the dawning of a new era," Axel said, that irritating smirk still in his eyes and tilting his mouth crookedly.

"What does that mean?" Roxas asked, trying with all of his might to keep his voice cool and steady but failing abysmally. His voice had _not_ trembled.

"Roxas, Roxas, it means that I am now an associate scholar at this school—a bosom peer, a fellow free thinker and the embodiment of scholastic achievement."

His mouth did _not_ hang open. He was perfectly composed, calm. Axel's presence meant nothing in the scheme of things, had no bearing on the routine of his days.

"You have to be joking!" Except he could feel his face turning red and his fists clenching so tightly that his bitten-down nails were even now digging into his palms.

"I would never joke about something as serious as my academic role in a new school. I am here to inspire and play idol for all of you freshman hoping to someday achieve the greatness that means becoming an upperclassman."

It was only then that Roxas understood the ramifications of what he was saying. "You're in this class? But it's a sophomore class!"

"Yes, I know."

"But—"

"Unfortunately my former teachers did not appreciate the vast knowledge I imparted to them on this particular subject, nor my absence when I decided that history was better left in the past."

"You flunked it," Roxas said flatly.

"Twice." Axel said smartly, his smile widening. "Classroom learning is just so confining, don't you think?"

"How the hell did you even make it into this school?" Roxas asked in disbelief. Twilight Town Academy was hardly a normal high school and the entrance exam to get in had been difficult even with all the months of studying he'd done.

"Oh, Roxie, my dear naïve one, don't you know by now what makes the world go 'round? I'll give you a hint: It's not sex, although that would have been the fun way to make it into this school."

"Money?"

"Guessed it in one," Axel replied, settling into the hard-backed chair with a sigh. "I don't suppose you'd like to tutor me?"

Roxas could feel his face flushing. Of course Axel hadn't meant _sex_ but his half-asleep brain had immediately jumped on the word, still stuck on the redhead's explanation of how the world worked and generally flummoxed by his presence altogether. "No."

"Why, Roxas, you didn't think I meant anything other than _History_, did you?"

"NO!" he shouted and the students who'd begun filing into class all turned to look at him. He sank further into his seat, gritting his teeth as he stared down at his desk.

Roxas made the mistake of glancing up and saw that those emerald eyes were trained on him. Something hot and intense was there but Roxas refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he turned to face the front of the class then, feeling his face grow even warmer as the teacher finally brought the students to attention.

The next hour was agony. Roxas never took his eyes away from the teacher or the grease board and what she wrote there, but all the time he was aware of Axel sitting a few feet away, his combat boots tapping the gray tile restlessly, his fingers drumming the desk top, his head bouncing occasionally to some beat that only he could hear.

Why couldn't he just sit still? Why did he have to be so distracting?

Finally, after interminable seconds, minutes, hours, days—the bell rang signaling the end of class, and he couldn't hide his relief as his breath whooshed from him in one gigantic exhale.

"Hey, Roxas?"

He turned to see Axel staring at him through narrowed eyes although he couldn't read the expression there. "What?"

"Thanks for Sunday."

"Wha—" Before Roxas could ask him what the hell he meant by that, Axel was out of his chair. He stared after him, listening in stunned surprise to the squeak of Axel's boots as he reached the door.

"I'll meet you at the old oak tree near the soccer field for lunch. Don't be late," he said, just before disappearing with one last wave over his shoulder, leaving Roxas still sitting in his seat with his mouth hanging open.

Lunchtime rolled around faster than Roxas had anticipated. He had spent the better part of his next class doing his best to hide his agitation from Hayner and Olette, who both shared English with him, and pondering the mystery of time: Why was it when you wanted time to speed up it never did, but when you were happy enough to live in the moment, to never leave your classroom or experience the ringing of the bell that signaled lunch, it somehow came with all the speed of a runaway train? He'd had a very short conversation with Hayner explaining that he couldn't meet the gang for lunch and then he was off, heading toward the soccer field with all the excitement of a death-row inmate ready to meet his fate.

The grass which made up the field was still partially wet from last night's sprinklers, or perhaps the morning fog, and his beat up Vans squelched slightly as he trudged toward the old oak. He knew that he was late but aside from the possibility that Axel would make him pay with the sheer annoyance of his presence, he didn't feel that the redhead had anything else to punish him with.

Of course though, when he finally did reach the old oak, the place was empty, the small breeze that lifted and tugged the branches of the tree the only sign of movement.

He gave a great sigh of irritation as he threw his bag onto the ground, settling down against the base of the tree and pulling his knees up to his chest. He didn't even have any food, usually gorging himself on pizza or spaghetti or whatever else the cafeteria had chosen to serve as barely palatable entrées.

Suddenly the smell of cigarette smoke wafted toward him and he turned his head to see Axel leaning against the tree trunk just behind him. It was all he could do not to jump out of his skin as his eyes skimmed up long legs clad in faded black jeans, up to an old black trench coat under which he could see the barest edges of a screen print on a faded charcoal t-shirt, and finally up to those green, green eyes marked underneath by two triangle tattoos.

"Hey," Axel said, waving a hand that held a cigarette clasped between index and thumb and not even noticing that he had just taken ten years off of Roxas's life.

"I thought you quit," Roxas managed, his throat feeling dry for some inexplicable reason as he realized suddenly just how quiet it was.

"I did. This is my last pack. Got to make it last." Roxas could've sworn he heard him mutter something about blonds and crushed cigarettes but he chose to ignore it in favor of asking the question that had been eating at him ever since he'd seen Axel sitting so casually in the back of his classroom.

"Why are you here? And don't give me one of your smartass answers about being God's gift to the student population or some other bullshit. Why aren't you back in Radiant Garden?"

Axel contemplated him for a moment, as if trying to decide whether he wanted to test him—to give him the smartass answer that Roxas had told him _not_ to give—but instead he eventually shrugged and pulled the fore-mentioned crushed pack from his trench coat pocket, shook another cigarette out, then lit it with his now familiar Zippo. "Shit happens."

Roxas was sick of not getting any answers; at the same time he knew he had no right to pry. Spending one abbreviated day at the beach together did not constitute any sort of friendship. He still had to clench his jaw to keep from biting Axel's head off. "Yeah, whatever." He stood up suddenly, picking up his bag and holding it aloft with one hand before swinging it over his shoulder.

He started forward but was stopped by something—namely Axel's hand gripping the edge of his backpack to keep him in place. "Where are you going?"

"If you're not going to tell me what's going on, I don't see any reason for me being here," he replied, curt dismissal in his tone. He tried to start forward again but the gripping hand didn't let up, merely tightened in response to his movement.

"I transferred. There's nothing else to talk about."

"Fine then, don't tell me," Roxas replied flatly. "Don't tell me why you're here all of a sudden, why you disappeared on Saturday when your father called you, or what that shit with that Saix creep was all about. Or even why you were hanging out in that alley to begin with."

Axel smiled down at him, cheshire grin in place. It didn't fool Roxas, who noted that the smile never reached his eyes. "Thought about it a lot, didn't you?"

"Maybe I should just go and find Saix and ask _him_ what the hell is going on," Roxas snapped, tired of the whole mystery.

"Don't." Any amusement that had been there faded from Axel's face as he stared into Roxas's eyes. "I mean it, Roxas. Stay away from Saix."

He was more confused now than ever. Why did Axel even care what he did? But more than that, why did he care how Axel spent his free time? As Roxas had reminded himself constantly since they had met, they were NOT friends. There should be no reason for any of this. The hand that had gripped Roxas's bag to keep him in place slowly gentled and then dropped completely but Axel's stare remained hard. "Promise me."

Roxas ignored him, his heart was now stuttering in his chest uncomfortably and he struggled to get out the question that he'd been pondering since Axel had asked to meet him here. "Then what do you want from me?"

Axel didn't say anything for a moment and something unnamable was revealed in his expression—melancholy, fatalism, desperation, helplessness?—as he looked down at Roxas. Then a smile broke it, whatever it had been, and it was the same grin he'd worn on Saturday, the one that was real and bright and actually _meant_ something. "You heard Saix. I don't have a lot of friends. You want to be my friend, Roxas?"

Roxas wanted to say no. He wanted to point out that friends talked to one another, told them what was going on, what was bothering them, but he couldn't. Not in the face of that smile. He was still wary though when he finally answered. "We'll see." Axel's expression brightened further and a triumphant grin that he took no pains to conceal widened his mouth. "But if you piss me off, I'm reserving the right to kick your ass," he finished, staring down at the grass beneath his shifting feet. He didn't look up at the redhead as he said it. He couldn't. Not with Axel smiling at him like that and with nothing between them but the cool breeze sweeping through the leaves of the large oak behind them.

But then Roxas finally couldn't stand it anymore and he glanced up, one blue eye peeking through the stiff bristles of his bangs, a tentative peek at first but Axel's green eyes were so intense that they managed to capture Roxas's own until they were both staring. The smile was still there and it lit Axel's emerald eyes, rivaling the sun for warmth, and for an instant Roxas felt his breath catch and his heart stutter in his chest.

"Yeah, whatever, Roxie," Axel replied, breaking the silence. He reached up one hand in order to ruffle Roxas's hair but the younger boy shrugged away irritably, still trying to tell himself that he'd been mistaken, that his heart had not fluttered, and his breath had not hitched in any way whatsoever.

"Don't call me that." For unaccounted seconds only the vague sounds of passing cars on some road somewhere, and the closer but still distant echoes of laughter from the other students enjoying their lunchtime were audible.

"You owe me ice cream," Roxas finally chose to say, doing his best now to look anywhere but at Axel, and not paying any attention to the fact his demand made no sense.

He saw Axel tilt his head in question out of the corner of one eye and for another moment there was nothing but that same quiet stillness between them. Then Roxas heard him murmur softly under his breath, "Anything you want, Roxie. Anything you want."

And Roxas was content with that. For now.

* * *

Lunchtime in Radiant Garden Academy bore little difference from any other school, despite its reputation as one of the better college prep institutions. Groups of freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors clumped together in packs or pairs, drifting in and out of each other's personal space, like schools of fish or maybe swarms of bees given the amount of noise they made.

Most of the classes had already claimed their respective bases of operation for social discourse—the freshmen had grabbed the picnic tables in the courtyard (the quad, as it was affectionately dubbed) and it was, by far, the noisiest place in the school during lunch hours; the Second Years, stuck in that horrible in-between state of not freshmen but not upperclassman either, had chosen to display their newfound maturity by claiming the two largest tables in the back of the Dining Hall, pushing them together and congregating around them like a swarm of locusts; then there were the Third and Fourth Years, who were far less static and chose to move fluidly between groups because their self-identities were, for the most part, already confirmed, and they had other more important worries on their mind—like college entrance exams, and how to convince their parents that they really did need a car, even though Radiant Garden Academy didn't allow for them.

Squall was doing his best to ignore it all, trying to ignore _everything—_his surroundings, his thoughts, his emotions, his memories. He was, in fact, doing his best to imitate a wall, unfeeling and practically invisible to everyone around him.

For the first time in a year he was spending his lunch hour alone. Seifer, Tidus, and Wakka had been Riku's friends before they were ever his and therefore, if Riku needed space—maybe forever—then it was Squall who would make the sacrifice. Before he'd cemented his friendship with Riku, and then finally the others, he'd spent the majority of his time at the Academy alone. He was used to it and most of the time actually enjoyed it.

Not today. Today he was not thinking, not feeling, not remembering. He was not seeing wide hurt blue eyes in a bruised face, nor was he remembering Riku's narrowed gaze as he'd noted that Sora had called him _Squall_, a name he didn't even allow his closest friends to call him by. He was not going to recall the tight feeling in his chest as he'd watched Sora walk away without looking back, or the argument with Riku afterwards that had been spoken through gritted teeth on one side, and guilty, icy silence on the other.

Still, he'd gotten his point across. The fact that Sora had been such a mess—an exhausted, injured, and probably traumatized mess—had gone a long way toward nailing the coffin shut on any plans Riku had to ever bother Sora again.

Riku, despite his jaded and slightly dissipated moral outlook, did still have a glimmer of conscience, just enough so that he wasn't completely blind to the harm he'd caused or the possible consequences of what _could have_ happened. But it wasn't Riku's face that Squall couldn't forget. It should have been, because he'd known him longer, had woken up to find Riku sitting in his desk chair on those terrible nights when the dreams had gotten as bad as they could get, and just his presence had made him feel better. But still, it was wide blue eyes shadowed by hurt and disappointment, and maybe something that had looked a little like betrayal, that he couldn't keep from thinking about.

So there he was with his back against the wall of the Science Hall, which no matter how many times was cleaned still smelled of sulfur, and ammonia, and ethanol, and a bunch of other chemicals Squall had no name for nor cause to care, doing his best not to think, remember, or feel. And it was there that the object of his non-thoughts found him.

Squall was leaning with his head tilted back against the gray stone, his arms crossed over his chest, fingering his yellow arm band when a shadow fell over him. And even before he looked up he knew who it was. Sora always did have more guts than sense.

There was silence for a moment as they looked at one another and Squall noted in a very distant way that there was still a violet bruise on Sora's cheek that was just beginning to turn green, a red abrasion on his chin, and a small cut bisecting his right eyebrow.

Blue eyes locked with gray, and Squall was more than disturbed to find that he couldn't read Sora's expression. His face was a perfectly blank mask, and Squall knew with certainty that in all the times he'd seen or talked to him, Sora's face had never looked that way. It was so unlike him—he normally wore happiness like a perpetual halo that radiated from his pores—that Squall didn't have any idea what to say.

"Sora," he finally said, eyeing him cautiously and with barely concealed puzzlement.

"Leon."

Squall flinched. He couldn't help it. And who would ever have thought that by asking Sora to call him Leon, he'd hurt himself more than he'd ever hurt anyone? Except Sora, maybe. Because if that blank expression meant anything, it was that he'd pushed the younger boy too far that night, so far that Sora felt the need to hide behind a wall of indifference just to get through their conversation.

"Sora, I—"

"It's fine. I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. About everything." And with stiff shoulders and a tight nod, Sora began to walk away. Squall couldn't handle it, couldn't stand to sit there and watch him walk away a second time.

"Sora, wait." For a moment he was ninety-nine percent certain that Sora wouldn't listen to him, would continue to march away, out the door of the empty, smelly hallway and into the light of the courtyard—where he belonged.

But no, Sora paused with his back to him and waited—waited because Squall had no idea what to say to make any of this better, to wipe that blank, empty expression off that normally sunshine face. Sora waited and waited, until Squall finally rose to his feet and did what he'd wanted to do since the first time he'd seen Sora's bruised and slightly lost face on that horrible Saturday night.

He walked toward him not thinking, because thinking, he'd just realized, was overrated and possibly got him in more trouble than just going with gut instinct, placing a careful hand on Sora's shoulder, testing the younger boy to make sure that this was okay. Finally, the tension in Sora relaxed enough for Squall to feel comfortable putting a second hand on his other shoulder, then tentatively, and oh so carefully, slid both arms around him from behind, tightening them so that Sora's back was firmly pressed to his chest. And he waited.

Still, Sora surprised him as he practically melted back against him, reaching up to hold Squall's arms to him like they were the last life raft on a sinking ship. Squall held his breath, afraid to move or breathe or do anything that might harm the fraying bandage he'd placed over Sora's wounds by giving in to his urge to embrace him.

They stood there, pressed together for countless seconds until he leaned down, and Sora tilted his head as if already knowing what he was going to do, and Squall spoke in his ear, his lips brushing against the tiny hairs of the lobe there, which caused Sora to shiver as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Sora didn't respond for a moment, merely stood there, and Squall was very much afraid that the bandage wasn't enough, that Sora's wounds were far too deep and raw for him to fix, like trying to cover a bullet wound with a band-aid. But then the smaller boy turned halfway around in the cage of his arms to face him. And in those eyes Squall saw what he'd wished for—forgiveness, and happiness, and more than just the slightest traces of hope.

"For what?' he whispered, eyes wide and so blue it almost hurt to look at them.

Squall didn't know what to say to that. It seemed obvious to him, the hurt that he'd caused, and it wasn't like Sora to pretend that he had no idea what he was talking about.

Sora turned around fully then and Squall made a motion to remove his arms but the younger boy didn't allow for it, pulling himself closer and wrapping his arms around Squall's waist.

"It wasn't your fault. I was stupid." His arms tightened, and Squall hugged him back, trying to ignore just how good it felt to have Sora there in his arms.

"Yes, you were." Sora made an indignant sound in the back of his throat and Squall had to smile. "But I was hard on you. I know that whole thing wasn't your idea."

Squall felt Sora swallow hard before the younger boy finally shook his head. "You're wrong. It wasn't Riku. It was me. I'm the one who suggested it. Riku just went along with what I wanted."

Squall did his best not to snort. Riku never did anything unless he wanted to. More than that, he was very sure that his friend—former friend, perhaps—had managed to make Sora _believe_ it was his idea. Riku had always excelled at the art of manipulation.

There was silence for a moment before he looked down and saw Sora's downturned eyes. Misery was obvious in his expression.

"What's wrong?" Squall asked, still uncertain that Sora had forgiven him.

"Nothing."

"You're lying." Squall knew he was right when Sora wouldn't meet his eyes and began chewing on his lip. He hesitated before speaking.

"Riku."

"What about him?" Squall couldn't help tensing. Had Riku done something to Sora? Something beyond putting him in danger on Saturday night?

"He's avoiding me." Squall's shoulders relaxed at that and he almost smiled in relief. It was exactly what he wanted to hear but when he saw that Sora still looked unhappy he felt a pang of worry.

"Sora?"

"I don't know what to do. Why is he mad at me? I don't understand."

"Sora—"

Sora shook his head and tried to smile although it fell flat. "No, don't worry about it. It's my problem. I'll figure it out."

Squall felt jealousy shoot through him and he did his best to shake it off. As long as Riku stayed away from Sora everything would be fine. He knew that a large part of what he had done was selfish in motive, but in the long run it was better for Sora because Riku in no way had Sora's best interests at heart.

He tried to pull back from the hug, because they were still embracing in the middle of a very public hallway, but again Sora wouldn't allow it, and with a sigh he gave in and rested his chin on the smaller boy's head. He forgot sometimes how tiny Sora really was because his personality was just so big.

Sora sighed, nuzzled against his chest, and _whoa_, that was a little too much for Squall, because having those kinds of thoughts—here—in the smelly Science Hallway, was not a good thing. He was beginning to have them though, because Sora was small, and warm, and he fit perfectly in the shelter of his arms, and his nose was pressed into the little triangle of Squall's collarbone—also perfect. He wanted to nuzzle back, press his face into his those soft spikes to absorb the clean scent of vanilla, and shampoo, and whatever baked sweet Sora had managed to gorge himself on during the break.

But he couldn't. Not here.

He managed to ignore the little voice in his head which argued that he had sworn he was going to give Sora up, because he knew with total certainty that he wasn't good enough for anyone right now; especially someone like Sora, who was clean, and bright, and happy, and good in a way that people underestimated the value of.

Instead he brought his mouth down to Sora's ear, not hard to do from his position, trying not to notice that Sora trembled slightly as his lips brushed against it. He brushed his lips once more there, just to confirm the truth of it, and Sora shivered, and Squall felt warmth pool in his abdomen.

"Do you have practice today?" he whispered, mouth sweeping over Sora's ear again and again until his trembling was a constant thing. Squall loved the reaction, loved how responsive he was.

"Y-yes," Words hissed between clenched teeth, that shiver, hot press of the smaller body against his own. Squall had to restrain himself from growling beneath his throat in response.

Not here. He held the thought, letting the mantra repeat itself in his mind to keep from jerking Sora to him right there in the hallway and shoving him into the nearest wall. He was just so warm—a little furnace—and Squall had been cold for so, so long.

"Do you still want me to tutor you?"

Sora shivered again, harder than before, but this time his words were firm if a bit husky. "Oh, yeah."

He smiled as he pulled away to look down at him. Sora's tremors were easing but his eyes were half-lidded with sensuality in his small, heart-shaped face, and it was all Squall could do to ignore the heat that had traveled straight from his abdomen to his dick in response.

"Fine. Meet me in the library after practice." Sora's face lit up, but Squall's expression was deliberately severe as he continued. "No shenanigans, Sora. We'll be there to study, not to fool around."

Sora's grin didn't alter, and Squall felt his stomach drop because he was one-hundred percent certain that he was not going to be able to hold onto that resolve. So was Sora, if that satisfied expression was any indication.

_Fuck it. _He thought, just as the bell rang. _ I'm tired of fighting myself. _

* * *

If it hasn't been mentioned before, now is the time to clarify that Radiant Garden Academy had the largest fencing arena on the continent. The only other arena that came close to being as big was Midgar's, and that was across a small expanse of ocean. The larger University fencing tournaments were almost always held in Radiant Garden, usually toward the end of the Academy's semester when the student body was released for the Holidays. It was quite the event, and during those times the city was filled to the brim with college students and fencing aficionados eager to witness the promise of grace in motion, to gaze in awe at an art form that had lasted centuries or more. After all, it was what the Academy was noted for. Despite the fact that the school had a successful history in most areas of sports, such as blitzball which was held during late spring, and the ever-constant soccer, as well as track and field, fencing was what had made the school famous. The amount of funds that went into the program was enormous, the amount derived from such expense, however, was returned ten-fold.

Fencing practice was not taking place in the larger arena for which the Academy was famous for. Instead it was being held in one of the bigger classrooms, the size of a large hall that had probably at some point been a ball room but was now normally reserved for P.E. when the weather was bad, with large floor-to-ceiling windows and long mirrors on each wall. The place was crowded by the time Sora stepped into the room, and all of them stopped and stared at him as his footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor.

Inwardly he sighed. Whether he had wanted it or not, everyone now knew who he was. He had wanted to make a name for himself at the Academy, but he would never have chosen this way had he had the choice. His fight with Riku, their obvious rivalry, had caused two reactions among the students: awe or resentment. Riku, for better or worse, was a seasoned swordsman, well-known and with an established reputation that he had earned during the past three years at the Academy. Sora had none. He was just some no-name kid, a wild-card, from some barely-heard-of island.

He hadn't needed to listen to the whispers to know that many of the students thought he was getting ahead of himself, and after all: Who the hell was he, other than some backwater runt with a hero complex? On the other hand, Riku had obviously made some enemies. Aside from his sparkling personality, Riku's wealth and lineage were the source of some envy and antipathy. Those particular students were perfectly happy with Sora's victory the prior week and weren't shy about expressing their approval. Sora's rebellious actions, bucking the social system that Riku had managed to establish in his time at the Academy, had caused a new wave of resentment against Riku, and if Sora had desired it, he could have started his own little gang of delinquents. The thought was somehow unappealing.

He smiled tentatively at the others in the room although only one chose to acknowledge him. The boy was large, larger than all of the rest in the room, with a mop of rust-colored hair. He chose to take that as an invitation and Sora's smile widened as he approached.

"Hello," Sora said cheerfully, buoyed by the other's willingness to speak with him along with the lack of apparent hostility or wariness he had become used to seeing. Instead, there was blatant curiosity and vague amusement as the larger boy held out one massive hand to shake Sora's.

"So, you're Sora," he said thoughtfully, his voice so deep it seemed impossible that it came from someone so young. "Smaller than I'd pictured."

Sora tilted his head and scowled slightly. "Oh, really?"

The other boy chuckled, and for all the world it sounded like a bear's deep grumble just before it settled in for a nap. "I pictured you as at least ten feet tall with razor sharp teeth and laser beams for eyes."

Sora's scowl deepened even further in mock offense. "Hey, I'll have you know that I've grown two inches in the last six months and now top out at a lofty 5'3 and three whole quarter inches."

Again there was that grumbling laugh as Sora finally reached a hand out to shake the offered hand. For someone so large, the other boy's clasp was surprisingly gentle.

"I'm Lexaeus, by the way. I'm sorry I missed all of the action last Friday but I just got back from an extended vacation. A damn shame, too. Might've been nice to see someone beat Riku for a change."

Sora could feel his thoughts darken at the mention of Riku but he didn't allow the smile to fade from his face. Dealing with Riku was for later. "Yeah, it really is too bad." Sora gave Lexaeus an openly appraising look from head to toe before grinning up at him. "But now that you're back, maybe I could hire you as a bodyguard. You could run interference for all of the fans clamoring for my autograph or the Riku groupies out for my blood."

Lexaeus grinned back. "You're funny, too. Zexion didn't mention that either."

"You know Zexion?"

"Yeah, we've been friends since before either of us could walk."

Sora could feel his mouth gape open. "Zexion has friends?" His face began to turn red as he realized what he'd blurted but he was saved by Lexaeus's burst of laughter.

"Yeah, Zex has friends although he doesn't like to admit it. He's always been a hard case that way."

Sora smiled, albeit with a trace of sheepishness. "He does like to keep to himself. So what else did Zexion say about me?"

Lexaeus shot Sora a thoughtful look. "He said you're the bravest person he's ever met." Just as Sora's chest was beginning to puff with pride at Lexaeus's statement, the other boy continued. "And the dumbest."

Sora deflated with evident drama and Lexaeus couldn't help but give another laugh. Strange, for him. He couldn't recall having laughed so much in such a short span. No wonder Zexion liked this kid.

"I'm glad you all are having fun because I promise you, the rest of today won't be."

The stern voice came from a shadowed corner of the room where there was a heretofore unnoticed door with a sign that read "staff only." An unnatural silence fell over the room as a figure emerged, closing the door sharply behind him.

Sora could feel his heart hammering in his chest as Coach Auron stepped into view. He didn't disappoint, which was surprising really, given that Auron's reputation had had Sora believing that he was fifteen feet tall and could kill with just a glance. Instead, a man a little over six feet tall stepped into the light of the room, scarlet _keiko-gi_ and _hakama_ ratty at the hem, as if the garments had seen every fight their owner had been in, left arm tucked inside its sleeve in a make-shift arm sling. Eyes were hidden behind dark spectacled lenses, hair long and tied back in a tail, streaked with gray.

Auron's reputation had, by all accounts, been well-earned. He had been a star fencer in his younger days but it was what he had done after that had garnered him his reputation. He'd been a soldier, a merc, a warrior monk, a scribe, a bodyguard and a spy. No one really knew the truth of what he'd done, where he'd been. But everyone did know that he'd seen enough action to earn him an ugly scar over one eye, and a wounded left arm that was now more for form than function. It hadn't, however, stopped the Radiant Garden Academy administration from offering three times the normal school teacher salary in order to get him on their staff as their fencing master. His name alone had drawn thousands of applicants.

"Which one of you is Sora?"

The quiet in the room was as ominous as the tolling of a death knell. Still, the other students turned as one amorphous being to shoot Sora accusing and curious stares. Auron, who also had a reputation for intelligence, merely followed the rest of their glances to the small boy who was torn between doing his very best to sink into the floor while at the same time resolutely meeting the Coach's eyes with his own. This was, after all, the reason he was here. Riku, Squall, Kairi, and all the rest of the mess he had managed to make over the last week, all of it meant nothing if he couldn't earn his place here, in this room.

"That's me." Sora said resolutely. Unknowingly his determined expression came across as more of a pout than the ferocious scowl he was going for, and Lexaeus, who was still standing beside him, did his best to smother a smile.

"H'm." Auron stared at him appraisingly out of one good eye then turned to look at the rest of the class before addressing them. "Unauthorized duels are strictly forbidden from now on. If anyone is party to one, or knowingly abets the two involved, there will be consequences. Suspension will be the least of it." The silence in the room was once more thick and to Sora, at whom all of this had been directed, it was stinging, causing two dark red stains to appear upon his cheeks. "Where's Riku?"

"Here."

The familiar voice came from the second doorway through which all of the students had entered. Riku stood propped against it, arms folded across his chest, and eyes trained upon Auron before dipping slightly in Sora's direction then moving back to the coach.

"You're late."

"Yeah." Riku said this without a hint of shame but he dipped his head slightly in acknowledgement of the broken rule. "Sorry."

"An hour of kata at the end of practice. And you heard what I said before: there'll be consequences next time. Remember that." He turned away from Riku then to address the rest of the class. "How many of you are new?" A segment of the class, more than a third, raised their hands tentatively. "Stand over there." He gestured to the left side of the room and the remainder of the students, veterans by their silent testimony, shifted to the right in order to make way for the new trainees. "How many of you have done fencing or been in fencing tournaments before?" Of the new students, only Sora and one other raised their hands. "Transfers?" Both nodded their heads and Auron gestured for them to stand in the middle between the groups.

Sora had never felt more awkward, aware once again of all the eyes trained on him, and most especially, of Riku. He risked a glance at the upperclassman but Riku wasn't even looking in his direction. Instead, he was staring unfalteringly at Coach Auron who was giving the mandatory introduction that all instructors were expected to give.

Despite the fact that the students were spread out around the coach in a wide half-circle, Auron managed to make it seem as if he was addressing each person individually, and all without raising his voice. "I assume you all know what you're here for so I'm not going to give you a long lecture on what's expected of you. You know already. Fencing isn't a game. It isn't for showing off or impressing your latest girlfriend. It is an art, it a sport, it is a science, and it _is _serious. People get hurt, wounded, even die if they aren't careful enough.

Fencing has come a long way since it began. It's no longer about the sword and the fencer itself. In true fencing tournaments you will see a variety of martial arts—jujitsu, judo, karate—all can be employed with the use of a sword. If you have no experience with any of those, all I can say is good luck. I don't have time to start from the beginning. Presumably, if you are here, you have had some training already. The first two weeks are your tryouts. After that, I will be forced to make cuts. From the looks of it, there are over fifty students here. I can only take seventeen. Fifteen makes up five teams, three per team, and two alternates.

As I said before, this isn't a game. This will never be the kind of sport for which you can let your guard down. Be attentive at all times. If I see anyone fooling around, especially at this juncture, it will mean immediate expulsion from the tryouts. For those of you who do make the team, there will be more work to do, more training, and it will _never_ get any easier. Those of you who have already made the team in the past, this is your try-out, too. I don't care if you made it onto the team last year, or even the year before. All that means to me is that you know enough not to accidentally stab yourself in the foot. Your spot on the team is yours to earn."

Auron finished his speech with one last stare at all of them and then motioned to the class. "Now fall into lines. I want to start with some kata. First-timers in front, veterans in back."

Sora was confused about where he was supposed to stand. Presumably, he was neither a veteran nor a newbie so he chose to stand in the third line between the two groups. When Auron nodded his head approvingly of this move, Sora relaxed back into his customary pre-kata stance, feet wide, shoulders relaxed. He turned around to catch a glimpse of Riku out of one eye, moving to a place two rows behind him. Where Sora had elected to wear the keiko-gi and hakama often associated with Eastern style fencing, Riku was wearing the practice uniform given to Radiant Garden Academy fencing team—tight breeches, high soft boots, collared cotton tunic all done in black with the crest of the school emblazoned on the front. His silver hair was tied back at the nape, his eyes intense and facing forward, and if he could feel Sora's stare then he chose to ignore it, moving into the same relaxed stance that Sora was in. The rest of the room seemed to divide itself this way, with obvious former members of the team staggering themselves into lines at the back of the room.

Over the next hour they moved through the kata—using both karate as well as some judo. Auron didn't demonstrate, merely called out the names of the kata as they moved through the forms, assessing them—walking through the lines of students and gauging their balance, their stances, and the ease with which they flowed from one form into another.

Much of Sora's knowledge lay in kenpo, a form of martial arts native to Destiny Islands, but he still managed to keep up with the rest of the students, the forms similar if not exactly the same.

"Alright, that's enough." Auron said, moving once more to stand in front of the class. "I want the new students to pair up on the left side of the room. Veterans on the right. Sora, you and the other transfer student join the veterans." Sora nodded his head and moved to where he saw Lexaeus standing. The older boy smiled at him, shoved rust-colored hair off his forehead as he moved backward so Sora could take his place beside him.

Sora and the other transfer stuck out like sore thumbs among the others, mostly because they lacked the uniform, but Sora especially. His height alone set him apart. No one else even came close to being as small.

The slight smell of sweat, sweet and pungent was in the air as the boys pressed together waiting to receive further instruction, some rocking back and forth impatiently on their heels, others tapping their feet or biting their cuticles nervously. Sora was unable to stand still even at the best of times, and he moved about restlessly, ignoring the curious stares of the students behind him, anticipating their next set of exercises. He was sure that at some point they'd be allowed to spar. Why else would he set apart the veterans from the firsts?

He did his best not to look back at Riku, not to try and catch a glimpse of green eyes and silver hair and concentrate instead on the tryout. At some point he'd have to talk to him, find out why he'd never come by his room on Sunday like he'd said he would, why he hadn't even bothered to try and check up on him—stick his head through the door which Sora had left open just for him and ask whether or not he was okay. Maybe even explain what had happened on Saturday, why two silver-haired jerks with similar features to Riku had tried to pound him. Or what Squall had said to him after Sora had left.

No answers, only questions. It seemed to be the norm where Riku was concerned. He hadn't even known him that long. Only one week and yet it seemed longer. As if they'd been rivals forever.

_Concentrate._

He paired himself up, unsurprisingly with Lexaeus, waiting for Coach Auron to finish giving instruction to the other students before coming over to the right side of the room. He stared at them, noting how they had paired themselves before speaking.

"Riku, grab a bokken then come front and center."

Sora tensed as Riku pushed his way forward, grabbing a wooden sword from a hanging rack then moving toward the front. What was going on? A demonstration?

"Sora. Bokken, then front and center."

The others, who had begun murmuring when Riku's name was called, went abruptly silent as they all turned to stare at Sora. For his part, Sora couldn't have been more surprised than if someone had reached out and slapped him. He was momentarily frozen, unsure that he had heard correctly until Lexaeus nudged him.

"Go on."

Sora walked unseeingly toward the bokken rack, not paying attention to the condition of the sword, its size or anything else as he moved automatically to the front. He noted vaguely that Riku wasn't looking at him, hadn't looked at him at all since Saturday, in fact. He saw that his jaw was clenched, green eyes flashing furiously in a pale face as he stared at their coach, moving slightly away from where Sora took his place next to him.

Sora, too, now stared up at their coach, certain that this was no mere demonstration. Whatever it was, he was sure it would be unpleasant if the slight curl of Auron's lip and the satisfaction stamped into his stoic features was anything to go by.

"From all accounts you two seem to be evenly matched. From today until tryouts have ended you two are sparring partners. I'm sure you'll manage to get along." _Or else, _was the subtext of the words. More than that, Sora was now certain that this was to be their punishment for the unauthorized duel that had taken place between them. Riku's stony expression said that he knew it too. How Auron knew the details of their fight was anyone's guess. Still, neither Riku nor Sora had done anything to hide it, and it had therefore turned into a spectacle. _Mistake._

"The rest of you grab a bokken and pair up. Fencers facing the wall are on defense, fencers facing the mirrors, offense."

Riku immediately moved to put his back toward the wall, and Sora paced in a half circle mirroring him. He was fine with being on defense. This wasn't about winning, merely demonstrating that he knew how to hold a proper defense under pressure from an opponent.

As he stared across at Riku he wasn't so certain that the upperclassman agreed. His jaw was set and for the first time since Saturday morning, his eyes met Sora's. He'd been expecting to find nothing in Riku's gaze, _sure_ that when Riku finally lifted his eyes to him that he would only see his own reflection mirrored there, an opaque glass wall that hid his every thought.

Sora was mistaken.

Riku's eyes burned, the green so bright and hot that he felt seared, branded. What was worse was that he could sense it wasn't even a tenth of what he felt—Riku was obviously doing his level best to suppress whatever it was he was feeling only it had managed to seep out against his will. The gaze was like nothing Sora had ever felt and the electricity of it had caused every nerve in his body to go into overload, caused the hair on his arms and neck to stand at attention as his heart leapt into his throat and his knees trembled.

He couldn't hide the confusion he felt, the utter bewilderment because for the life of him he couldn't understand what he had done to Riku to cause such an expression. He only knew that he couldn't bear it any longer, wanted to turn away, escape, run from the room and hide in his room, dive under the blankets of his bed and never come out again. But he couldn't—couldn't look away, couldn't move, could barely think as the aquamarine depths trapped him, held him paralyzed with those poorly concealed emotions. What was it in his stare that burned like fire, like acid? Anger, longing, lust, despair, possession, hurt—any of those things—all of those things? Sora's throat was parched and his body went numb from the overstimulation. He could barely feel the bokken in his hand, had forgotten why he was even there as he tried to speak. God, when had his throat ever felt this dry?

"Riku…" he managed to croak.

Riku's jaw clenched hard, his green eyes flashed hotly, like dry thunder in a starless night, before he turned away. As their gazes were torn apart, Sora felt like something had broken inside of him, like splintered glass shards were stabbing him in the chest. Why? What was going on? What were they doing to one another?

"Riku." He tried again, could only manage the upperclassman's name. But it didn't matter. Riku continued to ignore him, somehow doing the impossible even with Sora standing right in front of him.

It was for the best. Sora had no idea what he would say even if Riku had wanted to listen to him.

Finally, after what seemed to be a year in the span of seconds, Riku turned back to him, still managing not to look at him while keeping his face a blank mask.

"En garde, Sora." The words weren't even audible, whispered as they were in a room full of the clacking of wooden swords. Instead, Sora read the words from the movement of his lips, not even realizing his eyes had dropped to Riku's mouth until he had only the sparest of seconds to bring his previously forgotten bokken up to defend Riku's charge.

The relief of their swords crossing was so overwhelming that he gasped, the release of tension as the bokken crashed together undeniable. Their sparring felt so familiar to him, so mundane, so _relaxing_ in the strangest way possible, as if they'd done this a million times before and would do it a million times again before they were through with one another.

Sora never wanted it to end. For the first time in weeks he felt at peace, content, sure of himself and of why he was here. And the fact that he and Riku had been enemies since he had arrived at the Academy and their relationship was now in some gray area he couldn't define was irrelevant and meaningless.

Their swords met again and again, and they fell into step with one another, trading places with one another without thought, their feet pacing forward then back in parries and lunges, and finally more intricate footwork that resembled the steps in a dance. They didn't even realize when the exercise came to an end, didn't notice that they were now the focus of every eye in the class as their swords cracked together faster and faster in ever increasing thrusts, or the thick silence as everyone around them held their breath, watching the spectacle in wonder as the complicated dance continued.

A thin sheen of sweat covered Sora's body, sweat rolling down his spine and pooling in the small of his back. His right arm was beginning to burn, the familiar pain causing his heart to leap with joy as his eyes locked with Riku's for the first time since their spar session had started. He saw the same happiness reflected there in the upperclassman's gaze, unclouded and uninhibited as his lips tilted up into a genuine smile. Their gazes remained locked as they continued until, by mutual consent and in complete tandem, their swords came together one last time, wood meeting wood, the last clack of it echoing in the stillness of the now silent classroom. They weren't even a foot apart, their eyes still joined, when the clapping began. It started with one set of hands then moved until the clapping spread throughout the room, followed by hollers and whistles.

"Enough!" The exclamation from their coach, as sudden as it was unexpected, had the effect of a bucket of cold water on the cheering students. Sora finally tore his eyes away from Riku to look at Auron who was now studying them in a calculating way. As silence fell once more, the penetrating stare remained until the coach finally took two steps toward the fencers.

"Glad to see the two of you know what to do with your swords."

Sora heard someone snicker even though it was quickly muffled. He glanced over at the other students who were now doing their level best to muffle grins and it took Sora a moment to realize what was so funny. When he finally understood the double entendre he could feel his cheeks burn despite his efforts to stifle the blush and a scowl formed across his features as he glanced up quickly to gauge Riku's reaction. In shock, Sora saw that he was doubled over, his body shaking slightly as tremors racked him in an effort to suppress his laughter. When Riku caught the scowl on Sora's face the upperclassman could no longer hold it in and his laughter poured from him in great gasping chortles. Sora stuck his lip out in his customary pout but inside he could feel his heart leap.

In that moment he was sure he had never seen anything as beautiful as the laughter in Riku's eyes.

* * *

We are planning on having Demyx and Zexion in the next chapter but if you're curious to know what the pair did during the weekend read _Bouncing off the Walls_. It's not complete yet although we're working on the last chapter right now.

Love to all of you who are still with us. Reviews = Happiness and faster updates!


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